Into The Darkness
by bottlecaps
Summary: This fanfic has been adopted. If you wish to read it, feel free, but it is incomplete. If you like it and want to read more, skip to the last chapter, which states the "names" of the people who have decided to rewrite or continue it. Thank you. -Leigh
1. Deepest Secret

**Okay. Welcome to the first re-edited chapter of my fanfic. After much deliberation and debate, I decided to revise this story chapter by chapter to hopefully make it an even better fanfic. Most of the original content is still the same, but I have changed some of the context and added a great deal more to the fanfic. I sincerely do hope that this time around it will be more of an enjoyment to read. Alright then. Here we go. Oh yes, and warnings include sort-of self-harm in this chapter, so if you are uncomfortable with this than please don't make yourself read it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

"words" talking

_'Words.' _thoughts

"**words." **ninetailed/human communication. In this fanfic it will be mostly one-sided, though. Naruto only talks to the kyuubi. He doesn't respond too often.)

**_'words' _**nine tailed thoughts. This probably won't appear much until later on.

**Chapter One: Deepest Secret**

Naruto sighed in bed and rolled over to glance at his alarm clock. It was well past one in the morning and practice started at seven thirty sharp, yet he couldn't sleep. The older memories of his childhood still brought back fresh pain no matter how many times they resurfaced. Recently all he ever thought about was how things could have been different if his former sensei hadn't left.

"Five years ago...Ji-Chan. If you were still here than things would be so much different." he whispered to the darkness.

He hugged a plump pillow to his face before the tears building up in his eyes could fall. _'Why did you have to leave?' _The pressure of simply living through each day was getting harder and harder to deal with. Fingers dug tightly into the soft fabric in a death grip.

"Five years...why? Are you still alive? Do you have any idea how much I miss you? You never even said good-bye. I don't understand...why you had to leave...You were the only one who ever cared enough to see me for who I am. I didn't have to act around you, Ji-chan. You were my sensei too..."

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut to block the onslaught of tears. The memory constantly haunted him, never allowing him a moment of peace. He found himself living a nightmare twenty-four seven. Nothing appeared the exact same way when he looked at it again. The world was gradually wearing away the layers of protective walls hidden behind false smiles and deceptive laughter. The pain of hiding his true self was almost more than he could handle.

The tears escaped, two hot streams racing each other down his cheeks to greet the soft fabric of a pillow. Naruto turned over and curled tightly into a ball, sobbing softly in the early morning darkness. This was the side of him that no one ever saw; the true person hidden by a well-placed facade.

"Sometimes I can't stand this. I hate who I am." Naruto said. "Why do I have to be me?"

He bit down on his lip until something wet and coppery-tasting flooded his mouth. Blood. With a groan he spat it out, not caring when it stained his bed sheets crimson. Frustrated at his lack of sleep, he kicked the covers back violently and stood up. He stalked across his small room in several lengthy strides to the bathroom across the short hallway.

Even in the darkness, Naruto could easily make out his own reflection in the mirror. A shock of blond hair stuck up in messy spikes from his night of restless tossing and turning in bed. Three dim shadows adorned each cheek, cast by the faint whisker marks.

"**From you being sealed inside me, you stupid kitsune." **Naruto let his voice echo deep within the chambers of his mind like his former sensei had taught him.

As usual he received no response. The nine-tailed fox hardly ever reacted to anything Naruto said, and when he did feel like answering, it was almost always an amused chuckle. Naruto's occasionally brash actions never ceased to astound him but he wasn't about to admit that to the boy.

"**Maybe if it weren't for you, Ji-chan wouldn't have left me." **

The fox snorted contemptuously in the depths of his container's mind, letting Naruto know that even he was not the reason behind his mentor's decision to leave. Of course, the young genin already knew that what he said was far from the truth. _'Ji-chan already knew about the nine-tailed fox when he took me in and he didn't care about it. He was the only one...'_

"...who didn't already hate me besides Iruka-sensei." he finished his thoughts out loud.

Naruto wiped his face with a long pajama sleeve and gazed into the mirror again. His reflection met his stare with blue eyes clouded by grief.

"If I could become the person that I am in the mirror, would I truly become a different person, or would I still be me?"

His counterpart watched him silently through the glass. Naruto felt stupid for a moment, having half-expected for his own reflection to answer him. With a frustrated sigh that signaled he was on the verge of tears again, Naruto tore his gaze away from the mirror.

"**Wise decision, brat. Now go to bed and sleep or you'll be too tired to practice." **the fox's words wound their way sluggishly through Naruto's mind.

Under normal circumstances, the fox wouldn't attempt to comfort Naruto when he was upset like this, but he refused to have a weak container and therefor felt slightly obligated to "help" the kid whenever the need arose.

"**Why the hell would you care?! You are the reason almost everyone in Konoha hates me. You have no idea what it's like to hear people whispering things about me all the time!! You don't have to deal with the hurtful judgment of other people, you stupid fox!! You were powerful and strong and didn't depend on anyone or anything and it isn't my fault that I had to be the one they sealed you in!! You don't need me for any reason other than to be your container!" **Naruto shouted mentally.

"I'm just your pathetic host. A good-for-nothing and that's all I'll ever be!" Naruto finished his sentence by crashing a fist into the mirror before him.

A loud crack resounded through the tiny bathroom as glass shattered into hundreds of pieces. Sharp shards gouged deeply into Naruto's right hand, penetrating the skin easily as if they were slicing through warm butter. A few smaller pieces tore through the flesh of his upper arm. Dark red fluid rushed out of the wounds to form a puddle in the sink. The pain he should have felt was blocked out by an intense numb sensation that washed over him slowly. All of his rage was forgotten as he stared at his reflection in the broken glass.

"Ow..." he said, but the word came out small and weak in the dark room.

Naruto blinked several times before fully realizing what he had just done. Gravity suddenly became a tremendous force acting on his weight alone. He sank to the ground, mentally and emotionally exhausted, carrying a look of seemingly ancient wisdom that often resulted from a painful past. With a tired sight he closed his eyes tightly.

Inside his cage, the nine-tailed fox paced back and forth anxiously; a habit he rarely displayed. Naruto's sudden self-degrading attitude deeply concerned him though in all actuality he did not know why it bothered him so much. He had never before seen Naruto take negative emotions out on himself and judging from the kid's current reaction to his action, he'd completely zoned out.

"**Naruto...?"** the fox pushed the question gently into Naruto's mind.

The kyuubi no kitsune was met with solid silence. Was Naruto unconscious? He padded forward to the sealed door of his cage and searched through the steel bars into the sewer-like surroundings beyond. A small figure clad in dull orange clothing emerged from around a corner. It was Naruto, but he approached with a look of dejection on his face.

"**I'm just...tired, kyuubi...that's all. I'm just so tired...of living a lie...the person everyone thinks they know...isn't real."**

Naruto sat down heavily on the damp floor and examined his hand, wincing as he yanked out several shards of glass. He tossed the red-stained fragments on the ground beside him, The fox observed him wordlessly as the smell of fresh blood filled the air. He rippled his blood red fur and continued to watch his container's depression grow deeper.

"**Everyone knows about how powerful you were, how your sheer power could flatten mountains in an instant, how out of all the other legendary tailed beasts you are the strongest . Only I...only I have to live with you inside of me. And...only I have to live with the secrets..." **Naruto trailed off, hanging his head.

The fox tilted its massive head inquisitively, bright crimson coat shining like satin in the dim light. His mouth opened to reveal glistening wet canines and then he let out a low growl.

"**Naruto. You need to wake up so I can heal your wounds."**

"**No...I don't...need your help. Not...not this time. Okay?" **the genin said as he got shakily to his feet.

He stumbled several times and very nearly fell over, but he held his ground. When he turned his blue eyes to the ruby of the kyuubi's, he was surprised to find something that could almost have been pity in the deep scarlet orbs. The large kitsune nodded imperceptibly before retreating to the dark confines of his sealed cage.

"**Thank you...for this...but I want a chance to get through this on my own without anyone's help. Maybe then...maybe then I can become strong enough to keep my promise to Ji-chan. I can't allow myself to disappoint him..."**

Naruto took several steps back and turned to the dark tunnels of his mind. With yet another sigh, he walked resolutely through the twisting maze of hallways, doors, and dead ends. Focusing on bringing himself back to the conscious world was difficult; he really didn't want to wake up just to experience more pain...

With a soft groan he opened his eyes and found himself back in the dark bathroom. The previously unacknowledged pain exploded into being when he pushed his hand flat against the floor so he could stand up. Naruto bit off a swear word before it could escape and he forced himself to his feet.

He quickly turned on his sink and shoved his right forearm under the faucet, hissing between his teeth as ice cold water washed the blood from his wounds. He was surprised to see that the nine-tailed fox wasn't healing his injuries automatically. _'Did he...actually listen to me?'_

He fought the urge to yank his hand, which now sent needle-darts of pain shooting up his arm, out from under the stream of water. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he managed to stave off the instinct until he was satisfied that the wound was clean of glass splinters. Then he turned the faucet off.

"**I'm not helping you. Now you have to deal with the consequences of your actions." **the fox demon's words echoed through Naruto's subconscious mind, but even though he didn't respond, he was certain that the boy had heard him perfectly. After all, Naruto wasn't deaf.

"I am such an idiot." he said as fresh blood dripped out of the wound and slid down his hand, dropping down to stain the white sink crimson.

"At least they aren't too deep." he said, inspecting the damage from punching the mirror.

His knuckles had obviously taken the brunt of the impact. The skin there was shredded and painful to the touch. There were also two deeper cuts on the back of his hand and three, longer, nasty-looking gashes on his lower forearm. Dark red blood still oozed out from them.

Naruto spotted the almost empty toilet paper roll sitting atop the tank of his toilet and quickly reached out with his left hand to grab it. It quickly unraveled to the end as he wrapped the last of the tissue around his wounds. Within minutes, blood was seeping through the thin layers of toilet paper and he clamped his hand around it to stem the flow.

"Oh man...this really, really hurts. What the heck was I thinking?"

"**You weren't, brat." **the fox said sleepily before settling down to rest within his confines.

Still holding his wounded arm tightly with his opposite hand, he proceeded to search the rest of his household for something better to use. He was searching through the cabinet beside his refrigerator when he suddenly remembered the emergency treatment kit he kept stowed away in the far corner of the drawer beneath his bathroom sink.

Returning to the bathroom, he ignored the light-switch in favor of dressing the wound as quickly as he could so he could get some sleep. He wasn't sure of the time, but exhaustion weighed down every limb. He found it difficult just to keep his eyes open.

Inspecting the wounds again, he was surprised to see that they were not actually as deep as he had previously thought them to be. He still felt uneasy about the amount of blood still seeping out of the ones on his forearm.

"They probably could use stitches, but I don't know how...maybe I could just take a needle and thread and..." Naruto broke off, shivering at the thought of poking a needle so close to the painful wound. Just thinking about it hurt, and it was already obvious that th nine-tailed fox wasn't going to assist him this time. " Maybe I could use one of the healing jutsu that Ji-chan taught me..."

The more he considered the possibility of pricking himself over and over again, the more he disliked it. The idea of using a healing jutsu seemed much more reasonable. He started to make a hand sign but stopped when the movement opened up one of the two cuts on the back of his hand.

The pain from it was almost mind-reeling. Fresh blood trickled in dark streams down his hand and formed a puddle on his feet. He quickly positioned it over his sink so that the liquid wouldn't stain his floor.

"What the heck? Is there like a piece of glass stuck in there or something? I guess a jutsu is out of the question. Oh man, why did I go and do something so stupid like that, Naruto?" he asked himself.

_'Jeez. And this is what it feels like when Kyuubi doesn't heal me...I am such an idiot, punching the mirror like that.'_

"**I will not help you this time, Naruto. You dislike having me inside of you, so now you will have a chance to see what it is like without my help." **

Naruto simply pushed the words aside. He was very tired and wanted more than anything to go to sleep and forget about everything that had happened. Biting his lip against the pain, he used his left thumb and forefinger to open the wound again. He could just barely make out the dime-sized fragment of glass embedded deep inside it.

"How am I gonna get this out...?"

He mentally ran through the list of names of genin that he knew, trying to find one that he knew best and would be most likely to not ask questions or notify his sensei of what transpired. _'Sakura...no she's on my team...Sasuke is definitely out of the question...Can't ask Iruka-sensei...Neji is just a jerk. I don't why I even considered asking him! Lee might know a thing or two about treating injuries since he seems to wear a lot of them on his arms...but he would probably tell Kakashi-sensei...what about the other girl...the one who always used to sit next to me in the academy. Hinata. She's always been so nice to me. I feel like I trust her enough.'_

"Yeah. I think this is going to need stitches. Maybe Hinata has some ointment or something. I remember some of the grades she used to get on written tests given to use by Iruka-sensei. They were always better than mine, but she made perfect scores on all the ones about healing jutsu, treatment, and medicinal herbs. And she was always so nice to me...even though she didn't talk much."

Naruto was starting to feel really good about himself for coming up with idea until he remembered that it was in the middle of the night and she was at home sleeping. _'Wait...what time is it exactly?'_

He backed quickly out of the restroom, stuck his head through the doorway of his room, and very nearly had a heart attack when he saw the light blue glow on the edge of the horizon through the glass of his bedroom window.

"Holy crap! I gotta try and get some sleep before I miss my chance to catch some shut-eye altogether."

Panic sharpened his awareness despite his total lack of sleep. He set about searching for a pair of tweezers in his medic kit. When he found them he let out a sigh of relief and looked grimly at the gaping cut on his hand. _'Guess I have no choice. I really, really, really am not going to like this at all.'_

He used his left ring finger to stretch the cut open a little more and, with two other fingers, inserted the tweezers. Gritting his teeth, he grasped the sharp between the two metal pincers and pulled it out. It was difficult with the blood making his hand slick and wet, but he was able to remove the fragment and set it down on the sink.

Naruto poured hydrogen peroxide onto all of the cuts with a shaky hand, drawing in a sharp breath as pink-tinted bubbles foamed over the surface. When he couldn't bear the burning sensation any longer, he rinsed it all off and applied an antiseptic ointment over them. He then cut open one of the several bandage rolls in his medic kit and methodically began to wrap them over his cuts.

By the time he was finished, he had used almost an entire roll; the blood escaping from the many cuts kept soaking through the bandages. The clean white wrappings wound around the middle of his forearm and traveled down to the back of his hand where they were considerably thicker. Naruto used his teeth to tear off the end and fastened it securely by pushing it under and through several lengths of bandage beneath his palm before tying it into a not. He carefully flexed his arm and fingers out, testing to see if the wrappings were too tight.

"Good." Naruto declared.

His eyes felt like sand had gotten in them. He rubbed them tiredly and stared at the mess on the edge of the sink. Deciding to attempt sleep once more before it became impossible, he returned to his room and climbed into his soft bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow he was out cold.

Sleep came almost instantly for him, but it seemed like he had just barely fallen asleep when the alarm clock beside his bed blared two hours later. Groaning, he slammed his fist down upon it and scrunched his eyes shut.

"Practice..." he growled and threw off the covers. He winced slightly at the sudden tightness in his left arm and the memory of the previous night resurfaced.

In the bathroom he deliberately unwound the bandages and inspected the wounds. Half of him expected the cuts to be fully healed by now so he was slightly surprised when he saw that all of them were still there.

"**I guess you weren't kidding me when you said you wouldn't help, Kyuubi." **Naruto spoke thoughtfully to the kitsune sealed within him.

"**I never kid around, brat."**was the fox's indignant reply. The idea of Naruto doubting his word really ruffled his fur.

The fox demon shut his eyes and returned to his slumber, completely blocking Naruto's ability to communicate with him. If the kid wasn't going to believe him then why should he bother listening to him in the first place? _'**Logic.' **_

He took a hasty shower but made sure to clean the injured area before getting out. He dried himself off before wrapping the towel around his thin waist. A look at the cuts told him that none of them had reopened during his actions. They were all scabbed over well. The still-sleepy blond treated them again and re-wrapped them with fresh bandages.

After donning his traditional bright orange outfit, he noticed that because his sleeves were rolled up the bandages were easily visibly.

"I can't let Kakashi-sensei or Sakura see this because they'll ask. Sasuke probably won't care either. I guess I can keep my sleeves down all the way to conceal it."

He unrolled the sleeves of his orange jacket and was pleased when they completely covered the bandages with the exception of the ones beneath his palm. _'Oh well. I think we're going to be climbing trees again. I wish we could do another mission like the C-Rank one in the Land of Waves. Ever since we left, we've only been doing all these practice spars and more exercises for chakra control.'_

He hung his towel over a drying rack and proceeded to pick up the mess he'd abandoned the night before. He swept the trash into a garbage can beside the sink and returned the medic kit to its proper place in the storage space beneath his sink. However, there was one more thing he had to do before he could leave for training.

With a practiced hand, though it was a little more difficult since his dominant hand was bandaged, he held open his left eye and gently removed a bright blue contact lens. The he repeated the motion with his other hand, blinking several times to relieve the slight discomfort. Finally he stopped.

From a small box he retrieved from beneath his bathroom sink, he pulled out a fresh pair of 24 hour contact lenses sealed in a sterile case and set them on the edge of the counter. Unscrewing the lid of the tiny green container, he reached in and took out a blue contact lens. But before he put the contact in his eye, he looked up and observed the reflection in what was left of the mirror.

Two blood red eyes stared back at him from the broken shards of glass that hadn't fallen off. Each of them had two tiny circular shapes inside, all four markings ending in a comet's tail. He looked silently and whispered something even the nine-tailed fox's super-sensitive ears would have had trouble understanding it.

Naruto turned away from his reflection and put both contacts on without a word. No one, not even his own sensei, Kakashi, knew anything about the development of his Sharingan.

It had first appeared when he was wondering around the side-streets of Konoha as a six-year old. His guardian, whose identity was only known as Ji-Chan, was out doing what Naruto only assumed to be a mission and had temporarily left him. The only instructions given to him were to stay out of trouble and occupy himself.

_Flashback/ Memory. 3RD P.O.V._

_A short, blond-haired figure sat in the shadows of an alleyway, drawing pictures on the ground with a stick. He finished his doodle, erased it with a dirty hand, and started again when he saw his reflection on some pieces of broken glass. It caught the boy's interest since he had never before looked at himself in a mirror. Although the image was fragmented, he could clearly make out his eyes._

_They were blue, but as he stared, the eyes in the reflection turned red with a small, dark comma-shape in each orb. After he finally blinked, they returned back to their normal deep blue color. Since then they had changed from blue to red rarely, finally becoming permanent when he turned ten._

_Naruto learned of his past from a person he knew only as Ji-Chan although no one else in Konoha knew about it. His earliest memory of the kind, dark-haired man was at the age of three. He'd been sleeping on a cot in a small room when he suddenly woke up, fear pounding through his veins although he wasn't sure why. He saw a short man wearing dark clothing climbing in through a window on the far side of the room._

"_This is no place for you to grow up, boxed in away from the outside, even if the Hokage does have a good reason. Hey there, little Naruto. Do you want to come with me?" the man asked._

_Naruto blinked wide blue eyes, startled that the stranger had known his name. But something the man said caught his attention. 'Outside? Where trees are...and sun?' he thought. He nodded. He never got the chance to go out and do anything. Rather than running through the streets and playing on the playgrounds with other children, he was cooped up in a room with an old man who occasionally came to visit and a lady who brought him food._

"_Wes." he said, nodding his head._

_The expression on the older man's face softened and a fiercly protective look came into his eyes. 'You don't have to stay here any more. What does the third Hokage think he is doing, keeping you in here like this?'_

"_Alright then. Hold on tight and stay very quiet. You can call me Ji-Chan, okay?" the man said as he scooped Naruto up into his arms tenderly._

"_Wes, Ji-Chan." Naruto replied and buried his face into the man's shoulder. _

_He eased through the window again and carried Naruto to an apartment building far away from the Hokage Tower. Shortly after Naruto settled in to the place, he began to teach the child, hoping to instill some valuable skills that would allow him to go out on his own. _

_Naruto matured much faster than any other child Ji-Chan had ever seen. He learned to read, think carefully, analyze situations, and act decisively years before he would be old enough to join the ninja academy in Konoha. He was also taught several useful skills that he later learned were known as jutsu. Although Ji-Chan took the time to train him, he also made sure that Naruto had fun as well. He already knew that the kid was going to live a hard life. _

_He had never known the true identity of the man who has taken him from his previous home, and despite his young age, he instinctively felt that this knowledge would have been dangerous for the both of them._

_When he told Ji-Chan what had happened to his eyes that day, a concerned and troubled look came into his face. He quickly brought Naruto back to the apartment and locked the door behind him, using a jutsu to create a sort of barrier around the place. _

"_Do not touch this door. You can play in here for the rest of the day." Ji-Chan told him sternly._

_Later in the evening the man went out and didn't return until nearly midnight with several scrolls and a small box. What Naruto learned that night had never once dimmed from his memory. His mother was from the Uchiha Clan, a rare girl in a village that mostly consisted of boys and men._

_Even rarer still, she inherited the power of the Sharingan, a powerful kekkei genkai that allowed the wielder to see an attack of jutsu and copy it instantly._

_I sat on his lap while we read together. What I learned that day has never once dimmed from my memory. My mother was from the Uchiha Clan, a rare girl in a village that mostly consisted of boys and men._

_Even rarer still, the blood in her veins had given her the power of the sharingan, a powerful weapon that allows the wielder to see an attack or jutsu and memorize it perfectly._

_All of the women of the Uchiha Clan possessed pure Uchiha blood, but lacked the chakra and strength to ever activate the Sharingan. The women were instead trained in arts of ninjutsu and genjutsu and the abilities of their blood-line remained dormant. Any female who carried this trait was considered a curse, but Naruto's mother was able to survive by wearing contacts to hide her heritage and eventually sealed the power within her temporarily. The punishment for concealing her kekkei genkai was death. _

_Over time, fear and pressure swayed her decision to continue hiding her Sharingan. She staged her own death and fled to Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf Village, where she met and fell in love with a man named Arashi._

_Even after she confessed her identity to him as well as the Sharingan that she had sealed, they still lived together and eventually married. They lived together until one fateful night when Naruto was born._

_The Kyuubi, or the nine-tailed-fox as some know it, went on a rampage and destroyed most of Konoha on the night of October 10. Naruto's mother was injured when a nearby building collapsed and caused enormous debris to fly through the air. She went into labor shortly after Arashi found shelter for her at the tower where the Hokage lived. (read note at bottom of story)_

_With the help of countless jonin, chunin, and ANBU Black Ops, Arashi was able to create a powerful seal the demon inside of Naruto, his own son, by making a deal with the Death God, Shinigami. Sadly, it killed him, and his mother died shortly after giving birth._

_Naruto was left in the care of the third Hokage until he disappeared one night after turning three by a mysterious man who offered him the chance to live outside the walls of his room. All of Konoha learned later that he had been taken, but no one was ever able to find out who took him or where he was taken. _

_After Ji-chan finished recounting the story of Naruto's past, he opened the scrolls and showed the boy a picture of a dark red eye with three tomoes in them._

"_Is this what your eyes looked like, Naruto?" he asked._

_The blond-haired boy pulled the scroll closer and frowned. He reached out to touch the iris, running a finger over the little comma-shaped dots. Ji-Chan watched patiently for Naruto to answer._

"_There weren't so many dots in them. Only one. Not three." Naruto replied slowly._

"_Do you know what this is?" Ji-chan pointed to the picture on the paper._

_Naruto scanned the scroll for words and finally found a small paragraph inked onto the bottom of the page. He mouthed the words silently as he read through the details concerning the image._

"_It's a blood-line trait, a kekkei genkai. The Sharingan." he said although it was more of a question than a statement._

"_Yes. And you have this trait from your mother. This is a special kekkei genkai. Once you activate it and master the proper skills, you will be able to do many things with it. However, you know that the villagers don't really like you, correct? Well, you have to hide this from them. You mustn't ever show this to anyone except me."_

"_Yes." Naruto replied, blue eyes clouding over with sadness as he remembered the lonesome times he had to walk through the village._

_It was always with the looks, and now he knew why. The demon...the powerful demon whose unbridled strength was no match for anyone except his own father, Arashi...it was sealed inside of him. But he wasn't a demon. Ji-Chan always said that having a powerful demon sealed in his belly did not ever, ever, make him the same thing._

"_You are always human. You just have a little extra on the inside, that's all. Remember that. The mean things that people say aren't true." _

"_I understand. But how can I hide it? And my eyes aren't like that now, are they?" Naruto asked, eyes wide._

_Ji-Chan couldn't help but laugh at the gesture. After all, he looked so much like a child with the wondering expression on his face._

"_No. But the next time your eyes change, come and tell me as soon as you can. Try not to let anyone see them. When you're older, your eyes probably stay like that all the time." the older man explained while looking at his charge, who nodded with a seriousness so uncharacteristic of him it was funny._

_With the discovery of Naruto's kekkei genkai, the sharingan, Ji-Chan had gone out and bought contacts in the same deep blue that he'd grown up with until his ability appeared. At first Naruto hated to wear them all the time because they constantly bothered him, but he wore them to please the man who had watched over him ever since he was three. When he was ten years old he came to accept them and then to even like them because a few days after he turned ten, his eyes bled into the Sharingan and became permanent._

_After Ji-Chan left him alone for reasons unknown, Naruto used his knowledge to disguise his appearance and work to earn money so he could buy the contacts._

_End flashback and memory..._

Naruto shook his head, breaking himself out of his reverie, and glanced at the clock.

"Ah! 7:10 already! I'm gonna be late!!!" he dashed to the kitchen.

He put on his shoes and scarfed down a bowl of cold miso ramen that had been sitting in his refrigerator for several days.

He ran a quick brush through his blond hair before locking his apartment door and running out into the streets of Konoha in the direction of the practice field.

**Okay. Before anyone says anything, Arashi is the Fourth Hokage, but when Naruto learned this from his guardian, some of the details were specifically left out. Basically, the mystery guy known only as Ji-Chan didn't want Naruto to learn that Arashi was the Fourth Hokage. I think this version came out much, much better. He-he. I also made it longer, which is good for all of you readers. I am really looking forward to some feedback from you all. What did you think? Also, since I can only edit one chapter at a time, the endings of each chapter will probably be confusing to many of you because they don't match up, but what can I do? I'm working on it as fast as I can. Hope to see you soon. -Bottlecaps**


	2. Kind Words Cause Guilt

**Woo! Yeah, another chapter by me. After I went back and reread all that I wrote, I realized that there were all these inconsistencies that needed to be fixed. I also made them longer and more elaborate. I sincerely hope that this fanfic will be better the second time around. Oh yeah, one more thing. This chapter is dedicated to EllyYuki for her kind words and very helpful advice.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**2: Kind Words Cause Guilt**

"Argh. Where the heck are Naruto and Kakashi-sensei?!" Sakura shouted the question at nobody for the dozenth time in an hour.

This was really getting on Sasuke's nerves, but he couldn't seem to get the same question out of his own head. It just wasn't like Naruto to be late for anything, especially training. It simply didn't fit with his usual outgoing attitude. He usually arrived with Sakura, or else arrived shortly after she did. Sasuke was the last to arrive, but he always showed up before their sensei did, having already adjusted his internal clock to allow for Kakashi's chronic tardiness.

_'If Sakura actually paid more attention to Naruto than all of trouble he constantly gets into than she would have noticed that he hasn't been himself lately. His smiles...just seem like there isn't anything behind them. Maybe its because I know what its like to hide behind a mask that I can see through people's disguises.'_

"Where are you, Naruto?" Sasuke asked lowly, but it wouldn't have mattered if he'd spoken at a normal volumn because Sakura was talking too loud to hear him. He folded his hands under his chin and rested his elbows on the bridge.

Kakashi was late as usual, but even he arrived before Naruto did. By the sun's position in the sky, Sasuke calculated that it was already near eleven when their sensei finally arrived with a faint blush on his one visible cheek and an "Icha Icha Paradise" book held open with one hand.

_'How can he stand to read that trash? Its probably nothing but porn...Why did I have to get stuck with a perverted sensei?' _Sasuke said, turning and eyeballing the book with disgust. _'I wonder what his excuse for being so late is this time.'_

"Sorry about that, guys. I got lost on the highway of-" the silver-haired jonin began.

"Life." Sasuke cut him off with a smirk, hoping to irk his sensei just a little bit.

Kakashi gave him a look with his one, uncovered black eye that made Sasuke resist the urge to chuckle.

_'Serves him right.'_

"Hey. Where is-?" Kakashi asked again.

Sasuke held back a snigger as Naruto arrived, cutting him off yet again. _'Right on time, Naruto. Well, sort of. I might just have to thank you later. Now what are you going to do, Kakashi-sensei?'_

"Here I am! He-he, sorry I'm late." Naruto shouted as he skidded to a stop in front of us. His cheeks were flushed red and sweaty from running.

"Nevermind that, idiot. Lets go get some training done before the day is over." the dark-eyed genin replied.

Sasuke caught a glimpse of Sakura's expresion from the corner of his eye. She had a look of mixed worry and annoyance He didn't want to risk directly facing her in case she decided to give Naruto a good yelling at. He rather liked his ability to hear and didn't want to lose it. _'How else would I ever be able to avoid all the fan-girls if I couldn't hear them? Nah...Even if I was deaf I could still hear them. Now, what is Sakura going to do about Naruto? '_

"You're late, Naruto." Sakura stated.

"I know, I know, but us all standing here because I'm late isn't going to change anything!! Can we go already?" Naruto replied impatiently.

_'I'm surprised that she didn't yell his head off.' _Sasuke thought as he watched Sakura for the slightest sign of anger.

Without a word, Kakashi led his team to the training area, which was really just a small open field surrounded by trees. He held out his hand and signaled the trio to stop. He kept walking until he came nearly face-to-face with a tree.

"What?! Are we doing this again? We've been doing these chakra control exercises ever since we got back from that C-Rank mission at the Land of Waves. Can't we do something else?!" Naruto shouted as he watched the jonin walk right up the trunk of the tree until he was hanging directly upside-down on an overhanging branch.

"Well, we're doing it again, because you and Sasuke haven't quite mastered it yet and Sakura can use this training to increase her chakra reserves. So since you've done this before, you all know what to do." Kakashi said and flipped open his perverted book.

" We are all going to stay here until every one of you can walk all the way up to the top." he said, abandoning Team 7 for his novel.

Sakura closed her eyes to block out the surroundings as she concentrated on sending a small amount of chakra to her feet. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again.

The pink-haired kunoichi walked back a little ways from the tree she had chose and then retraced her footing. She stepped as if she were walking normally on the ground. _'One foot in front of the other. Don't lose your focus. Don't let yourself be distracted., Sakura.' _she told herself mentally.

"Wow! Good job, Sakura!" she heard Naruto.

She looked down to see that sh had already gone up the entire length of the tree. She was standing sidfeways, feet planted on the tree, giving her a vision a strange angle.

Naruot and Sasuke looked at each other and then both determinedly started running up their chose trees only to fall again seconds later on the ground.

"_Cha!" _said Inner Sakura. _"On my very first try too! Beat that Sasuke."_

"Well done, Sakura. Once again she has proved that she has better chakra control than the both of you." Kakashi complimented, referring to Sasuke and Naruto.

"You can sit down and wait if you'd like, or you could test your own limits. None of you are going to leave until Sasuke and Naruto can learn to control their chakra better."

Sakura turned and walked down the tree calmly, even though Inner Sakura was dancing madly inside. She sat right underneath it and leanred her back against the tree trunk. Her rest period was interrupted by a few minutes of peace and then a thump-thump.

The thump-thumps belonded to Sasuke and Naruto, who competitively raced each other up the tree only to get a little farther than their previous attempt and then landed rather pathetically on the ground. Before they fell, they marked the bark on the tree with a kunai to keep track of their progress. Two hot and sweaty hours later, they were still struggling to stay on. Sasuke was in the lead, but Naruto wasn't far behind.

_'Okay. If you push too much chakra into your feet, than the bark breaks. I just need to limit the flow of chakra until I find the right amount.'_ Sasuke thought as he landed cat-like on the ground after the bark crumbled away from his foot-hold on the tree. He looked at the scars he'd made on the tree and than at Naruto's.

_'He's catching up to me. I need to get stronger. A lot stronger if I want to avenge my clan. You watch out, Itachi. I will prove to you that I am not weak or pathetic, just you wait.'_

He pushed away all thoughts of his blond-haired team-mate and focused on the training as memories began to resurface.

_Memory/ Flashback. 3rd POV._

_Sasuke ran through the streets of the Uchiha Clan village, but no matter which direction he fled in, he was confronted by the dead bodies of his clan. Kunai and shuriken pierced the walls of the buildings. Dark pools of blood surrounded most of the corpses, unable to be absorbed by the earth because it was already heavily saturated. Overhead, a full moon glowed in the dark skies overhead, suprisingly clear for a warm July night._

_He hadn't seen his older brother yet, but he was afraid to look anymore in case his brother was dead as well. He wanted to run as far away as he could, but terror kept him glued to the spot. He couldn't leave without finding his mother. With great trepidation he began to run in the direction of his home, trying his best to avoid the lifeless bodies on the ground._

_When he arrived, the door to his house was already open. Fearfully, he stepped inside, only to be greeted by a terrifying sight. He stared at his older brother who stood beside the still body of his mother. His eyes grew wide as they fixed on the bloodstains covering Itachi's clothes and cheeks._

"_I-Itachi...Why...why isn't Mother moving?" Sasuke asked, watching the life-giving liquid rush out of his mother's body to puddle beside her._

"_Foolish brother. Just look at you...so young...so innocent...so weak. I could take your life so easily, just like I did with them. They were all so very weak..."_

"_Y-You killed them?! All?" Sasuke's voice shook with rage, but it was mostly fear that made his voice tremble._

"_Yes. I did. Even your mother. Our mother. Its only you and me left now, Sasuke."_

"_But why?!" tears flooded the little boy's cheeks._

"_They...were weak. I suppose...I shall let you live. Run and cling to your pathetic existance. We will meet again."_

_Sasuke tried to run, but his body froze up. He stood, trembling from head to toe, crying as he faced his older brother._

"_I said go! Now! Before I change my mind!" Itachi said and in the blink of an eye he threw a miniature senbon needle into Sasuke's right shoulder._

_The child cried out in pain, gripping his shoulder as a dark stain grew larger on his shirt. Sasuke turned his back and ran as fast as his little legs could take him. Suddenly outside, the warm night air scented with blood hit him like punch to the gut. He gagged on the stench but kept running until he was deep within the forest._

_End Memory/Flashback.._

Sasuke gasped sharply, breaking out of his memory, and then quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed. Sakura was still beneath the tree and Naruto was climbing up beside him. Neither of them appeared to have heard. He let out a small sigh of relief. _'I can't imagine what they would do if they knew the things that I see every time I close my eyes. That I'm not as cool and unshakable as they think I am. It isn't easy to block out the memories.'_

He glanced at Naruto just in time to see him fall flat on his back, breathing heavily.

"Man...Why can't I do this. I know I can do this." he said as he pushed himself to his feet with one hand.

_'What is that?' _Sasuke's eyes caught on something white in Naruto's hand.

He tried to get a better look, but when he realized that Naruto was watching him intently, he grew uncomfortable and went back to climbing his tree. After he was certain that the blond was no longer looking at him, he snuck another glance. This time he saw a brief flash of pain in Naruto's eyes as he landed on the hard ground. He watched Naruto get up and tug down the right sleeve of his jacket until it just covered his knuckles.

_'What happened to him? Did he injure himself somehow? Should I ask?'_

Sasuke contemplated asking his team-mate until he remembered how uncomfortable Naruto's gaze had been. _'Almost like...he was begging me not to say anything. But if he hurt himself doing something stupid and its still bothering him...He usually heals pretty quickly. Hmmm.'_

Meanwhile, as Sasuke mentally debated on whether or not he should say anything, Naruto attempted to direct his chakra to his feet and ran up the thick tree trunk in front of him. He landed on his feet and fell back on the ground, panting. He was tired. The lack of sleep was getting to him now. The jolts of pain that spiked up his right arm every time he made the handsign to focus his chakra were starting to wear him down. All he wanted more than anything was to crawl back under the covers in bed and pass out.

_'But I can't yet. I have to beat Sasuke. I think he saw, though...That isn't good. I just hope he doesn't ask.' _Naruto thought as he pulled his sleeve down again nervously. _'He'd only think I'm weak...Not that he doesn't already think that. But after the Land Of Waves, well...he seems more open to the idea of us being his team-mates. Its so weird that we're all getting along now. Our teamwork has improved a lot. But I still have to beat him. I have to prove...' _he forced himself to his feet.

_'That I am strong. Maybe...maybe I should...yeah.' _he nodded.

Sakura had just fallen into a light doze when she felt something poke her shoulder.

"Ah! Naruto, what the heck do you think your doing?" She shot up, causing Naruto to back away a little.

"Sorry, Sakura." he apologized. "I was just wondering...if you could give me some advice...on...you know." he finished, pointing to a tree with numerous scars on it from his kunai.

The kunoichi blinked. _'Naruto's asking me for advice? The number-one, knuckle-headed, hyperactive ninja in all of Konoha is asking me to help him? This can't be right. Naruto's too stubborn to ask anyone for help, even when he needs it...but he is. I guess it can't hurt.'_

"All you do, Naruto, is close your eyes and focus. Try to feel the chakra on the bottoms of your feet. Then walk up the tree like you normally would walk, I guess." she replied.

Kakashi peered over the cover of his orange-jacketed book and watched the two genin exchange words. He wouldn't readily admit it, but he was impressed. Ever since returning from the Land Of Waves, all three genin, Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto, had been working hard to improve their team-work. He could see them growing closer and closer together, like a team should be.

_'They're making up for lost ground quicker than I expected. The other teams all learned to work together and trust each other before mine did. After that C-rank mission turned B rank, they have all been training hard and are slowly starting to gain each other's trust. I can already see the results of their hard work. Naruto gives Sakura more respect and asks her for help when he needs it. Sakura has matured greatly although she still has a ways to go. She tries to keep the peace between Naruto and Sasuke's occasional arguements. Sasuke's become more open and trusting with both of them. Well done, all of you.' _Kakashi thought and flipped to the next page of "Icha Icha Paradise."

"Do you...think you could show me?" Naruto hesitated before finishing his question.

Sakura blinked twice, then nodded. She stood up, stretched her limber form, and walked over to a near-by tree.

"Watch and listen carefully, cause I'm not showing you again. Alright. First you close your eyes and make the hand sign to help focus your chakra." she quickly closed her eyes and made the hand sign.

Naruto watched expectantly, waiting for her to continue.

"Then, when you feel the chakra on the bottom of your feet, try to see if you can change the flow. Practice increasing and decreasing the amount of chakra so you can learn how a certain amount of chakra feels. After you've done that, just walk up the tree like you're walking on the ground."

She took two steps forward and began walking up the tree. She stepped carefully, showing Naruto how the amount of chakra sticking her to the tree didn't cause the bark to peel back or disintigrate when she applied pressure.

"Once you find the right amount of chakra, you have to concentrate on keeping it at the same level. If you lose focus and it changes, you'll end up falling off." Sakura explained as she stepped off the tree and onto the ground.

"It's really easy, Naruto. You try it and I'll watch."

"Yeah! Thanks alot Sakura!"

Naruto closed his eyes like Sakura said and followed her instructions. _'Focus my chakra at the bottom of my feet. It's gotta be just right. Not too much.'_

He gritted his teeth as he made a hand-sign to help him focus his chakra, praying that Sakura wouldn't notice. If she did, she said nothing. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and concentrated on sending chakra to his feet. When he felt the familiar tingling of energy rotating around his toes, he adjusted the amount until he thought it would be enough and opened his eyes.

"Alright. Now just walk..." Naruto told himself as he put one foot against the tree trunk and slowly tested it out.

It seemed to be holding until he put most of his weight on the tree. His foot slipped back down but he managed to regain his balance before he could fall.

"A little more chakra, Naruto. You can do it. Maybe getting a running start would help?" Sakura suggested, trying to help out her team-mate.

"Yeah. Okay." Naruto nodded and back away from the tree trunk.

Once more he endured the needle-stabs of pain in his right arm and once more he focused his chakra, increasing the level on the bottom of his feet until the amount was slightly higher than before.

"Here goes!"

Naruto's feet connected with the trunk of the tree and carried him higher and higher. A rush of satisfaction flowed through him, but he squashed it down until he was positive that he wasn't going to fall down. Keeping the flow of chakra even was more difficult than he thought. Slowly he turned around to face Sakura.

"Hey! Check it out, Sakura. I did it!" Naruto's shout of joy was abruptly cut off as he lost his balance and collided with the ground head-first.

"Naruto?! Are you alright?" Sakura asked, rushing to his side.

Naruto sat up slowly with a dazed expression on his face. He shook his head several times and stared at Sakura, embarrasment turning his cheeks red. Unfortunately, Sakura misinterpreted his sudden change in color and began checking for injuries. Her hands flitted lightly over his head, checking for any signs of blood. When her hand lightly touched Naruto's right arm, he hissed soflty and jerked it away.

"I'm okay, Sakura. I'd have to fall harder than that to hurt myself. He-he. Thanks a bunch." Naruto rubbed the back of his nervously with his left hand and started to walk away.

"Hey Naruto." the pink-haired girl reached out towards Naruto's right arm, which was hanging limply at his side.

She grasped his arm, earning a stiffled yell of pain from Naruto and started to push up the sleeve. He fought the urge to scream and yanked his hand away.

"I'm fine. Its nothing to worry about." Naruto brushed Sakura off and quickly retreated to his former tree before she had a chance to do anything else.

Once he was safely out of her range, he closed his eyes and concentrated on making the pain in his arm go away. _'Ow...' _was all he could think as he assauged the injured limb with his opposite hand. Pushing the pain aside, he decided that he would try to walk up the tree again. _'Almost there..' _he thought, when he was suddenly interrupted.

"Hey, Naruto."

"Ah! Sasuke. I was focusing my chakra!" Naruto replied to Sasuke's sandals. He'd lost his balance and fallen down when he heard his named called.

Sasuke acerted his eyes and took a deep breath. _'I shouldn't do this. He'll never let me live it down. Here goes nothing.'_

"Tell me." he started. "What did Sakura tell you?"

Naruto blinked several times. _'Sasuke's...asking me for help. I guess he didn't see what happened between me and Sakura. That's actually a good thing.'_

"And why should I tell you?" Naruto smirked and Sasuke groaned inwardly. "Go ask her yourself if you want to. Its not like she's going to hug you or something."

"Jerk." Sasuke said and went back to climbing up the tree, except this time he made it, leaving Naruto far behind on the ground.

"Well done, Sasuke." Kakashi muttered. "We all knew you would get it eventually." he muttered even lower so that only Sakura, who was closest to him, could hear it.

She burst into a fit of giggles, gaining odd looks from both Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke merely glared at Kakashi before crouching against the tree trunk. He jumped up and did a back flip, landing expertly on the ground in a hand-stand. With a smirk to show he was satisfied at having shut both Sakura and Kakashi up, he used his hands to propel his body to a normal stance. He was, of course, mimicking the way Kakashi usually got off the tree.

"Alright, you all can go. That's enough for today. Use any more chakra and you just might kill yourselves and then I'd have all this new paperwork to fill out so I could get a new team and then I wouldn't have any time to read my book. " Kakashi said.

Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke all gave him a creepy look and sweat-dropped.

"Right..." Naruto trailed off. He sighed and glance over his shoulder at the training area. Disappointment hit him as he realized that he'd been the only one to not make it successfully up the tree.

" We will all go again in two days. Be at the bridge at seven thirty sharp. And I don't want to hear any complaints if we do the same thing again. It will be worth it in the future. Dismissed."

The trio turned to leave when Kakashi called out "Hold on a minute, Naruto. I need to talk with you." Naruto stopped and turned to face his sensei with a look of confusion.

"And I don't recall either of you being Naruto, Sasuke...Sakura. Leave." he said, turning his head towards the other two who had also stopped.

Sakura gave Sasuke a questioning look, which he noticed although he pretended not to. They both left, leaving the blond-haired boy alone with their sensei.

" So, Naruto. How about we go get some ramen at Ichiraku's?" Kakashi asked casually as he released the chakra hold on his feet and fell. With practiced ease he landed on the ground beside Naruto.

"Noo, not tonight, thanks. I've...got somewhere to be." he stumbled slightly over his words, trying to come up with a believable excuse to avoid spending more time with the jonin. It was in declining the offer that Naruto realized he had made the true mistake.

A hand placed itself upon his shoulder in a fatherly gesture. He looked up wide-eyed, startled, and trembling slightly

"What's going on, Naruto? You haven't been yourself today. You were even late for practice today and that isn't all. You couldn't concentrate on doing something as simple as directing your chakra to another part of your body. It isn't hard." the grey-haired man asked.

The words stung even though Kakashi meant them to be helpful. Naruto fought back tears, feeling ashamed of himself and overwhelmingly guilty. _'I just hold my team-mates back. They don't really need me.' _he thought before dragging his mind back to the present.

"Well...so were you." Naruto almost snapped back, still caught up in an emotional hurricane, but he stopped himself in time so it came out calmer.

"You can talk to me, Naruto, whatever it is. I'll listen." the older man said gently and squeezed his shoulder affectionately.

A soft whimper escaped from Naruto's lips evne though he tried to hold it back. The pain from his injuries raced up his arm all the way to the points of contact on his shoulder.

"It's nothing." he grated out the reply slowly after the pain died down a little.

Kakashi watched him for a while in silence. Naruto grew extremely uncomfortable under his sensei's gaze. He began to fidgit nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Afer several minutes he seemed to grow calmer, more resolute.

"I'm-" Naruto broke off as Kakashi suddenly grasped his shoulder tightly and his other hand went out to Naruto's right arm.

Naruto briefly struggled to get away but he quickly learned that it only caused him more pain and stopped. Kakashi carefully pushed up his bright orange sleeve to reveal a length of bandage wrapped around his arm. The back of his hand as well as his forearm had several dark red stains marring the white wrappings.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked cooly, releasing his student's arm. He stood back and waited for Naruto to explain.

"Nothing." he replied after readjusting his sleeve so it covered the bandages again.

"Well, I suppose you will tell me when you are ready. You may go now."

Naruto disappeared from his sight faster than he had ever seen before. Kakashi merely sighed.

_' I will find out what's going on with you. You can't hide it forever.' _he thought and went off to do his own things in Konoha.

**Yay! I fixed this chapter. Added a lot more to it as well. Sasuke has a personality in this fanfic. Lol! Ha-ha. Anyways, I definately like this version better. As for when I get to editing the next chapter, well, I don't know when that will be. I'm already squeezing in a lot of my time that I should be using to sleep to rewrite these chapters instead. O.O... Kakashi is so cool in this chapter, even though he really isn't one of my favorite characters. Bwah ha ha ha. I've got tons of chibi Gaara pics on my i-Pod now. XD Gaara is soooooo awesome. /coughs/ Anyways, see you soon. - Bottlecaps.**


	3. Breaking Down

**Okay. Man, I can't believe I posted up this chapter when I did. It was so crappy that I absolutely had to rewrite it ASAP!! I added a lot of stuff rewriting it and I made it like a gazillion times better. Thank you for all the people who took the time to read and review my work. He-he. Writing this chapter made me realize that although I fixed the last chapter, I had some simple punctuation errors. I will fix them when I get the chance. I promise that the version of this chapter will be so much better than the last one. Wow...for once I'm out of words. Let's get on to the chapter now.**

**NOTE: Thanks to a PM from Dragon Man 180, I remembered that if you already reviewed for these chapters before I rewrote them, you cannot review unless you PM me. So yeah. Just read and enjoy, guys. I'll get to updating again soon!**

**Disclainer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 3. Breaking Down**

Naruto closed the door to his apartment behind him and stumbled into his bed-room. He collapsed numbly on the bed. Only when he sat up several minutes later did he realize that he was still shaking from the encounter with his sensei.

_Flashback...3rd POV_

"_So, Naruto. How about we go get some ramen at Ichiraku's?" Kakashi asked casually as he released the chakra hold on his feet and started to fall off the tree. With practiced ease he landed on the ground beside Naruto._

"_No, not tonight, thanks. I've...got somewhere to be." he stumbled slightly over his words, trying to come up with a believable excuse to avoid spending more time with the jonin. It was in declining the offer that Naruto realized he had made the true mistake._

_A hand placed itself upon his shoulder in a fatherly gesture. He looked up wide-eyed, startled, and trembling slightly._

"_What's going on, Naruto? You haven't been yourself today. You were even late for practice today and that isn't all. You couldn't concentrate on doing something as simple as directing your chakra to another part of your body. It isn't hard." the grey-haired man asked._

_The words stung even though Kakashi meant them to be helpful. Naruto fought back tears, feeling ashamed of himself and also overwhelmingly guilty. 'I just hold my team-mates back. They don't really need me.' he thought before dragging his mind back to the present._

"_Well...so were you." Naruto almost snapped back, still caught up in an emotional hurricane, but he stopped himself in time so it came out calmer._

"_You can talk to me, Naruto, whatever it is. I'll listen." the older man said gently and squeezed his shoulder affectionately._

_A soft whimper escaped from Naruto's lips evne though he tried to hold it back. The pain from his injuries raced up his arm all the way to the points of contact on his shoulder. _

" _It's nothing." he grated out the reply slowly after the pain died down a little._

_Kakashi watched him for a while in silence. Naruto grew extremely uncomfortable under his sensei's gaze. He began to fidgit nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. After several minutes he seemed to grow calmer, more resolute. He obviously felt a little more secure, but he didn't know why._

_'Maybe Sakura didn't notice after all and I was just being paranoid. Yeah...that's it. There's no way Kakashi could know about my arm.'_

"_I'm-" Naruto broke off as Kakashi suddenly grasped his shoulder tightly and his other hand went out to Naruto's right arm._

_Naruto briefly struggled to get away but he quickly learned that it only caused him more pain and stopped. Kakashi carefully pushed up his bright orange sleeve to reveal a length of bandage wrapped around his arm. The back of his hand as well as his forearm had several dark red stains marring the white wrappings._

"_What happened?" Kakashi asked cooly, releasing his student's arm. He stood back and waited for Naruto to explain._

"_Nothing." he replied after readjusting his sleeve so it covered the bandages again._

"_Well, I suppose you will tell me when you are ready. You may go now." _

_Naruto turned and raced away from his sensei, not daring to look back until he was far, far away. Kakashi was no more than a speck on the horizon when he did turn around. Shaking with emotions, he ran the familiar route back to his apartment._

_End Flashback._

Naruto blinked several times and realized that he couldn't actually remember running back to his apartment at all. It was like his brain had simply switched to autopilot and directed his legs to carry him home.

"Man, that's creepy."

"**Naruto...You do know that you are bleeding all over the bed, don't you?"**

"Say what?!" Naruto shouted, completely forgetting that the nine-tailed fox was speaking into his mind and not sitting beside him.

The fox heard him none the less and couldn't help but chuckle. **_'Naruto...you really do amuse me sometimes.'_**

Naruto pushed up his sleeve only to see that one of his wounds had accidently reopened and fresh blood seeped slowly through the bandages. As it was he already needed to change the bandages, but the combined effort of training and then collapsing on his bed had torn open the two small gashes on his forearm, sending rivulets of blood streaming down his fingertips to stain his bed.

Grasping the wound with his other hand he stood up and stumbled into the bathroom, muttering a swear word or two under his breath as fresh waves of agony spread through his arm.

"So this...is what everyone feels when they get hurt." he said, not completely sure whether he was talking to himself or the nine-tailed fox.

"**Yes, brat. I normally heal your wounds without question. After all. If you die then I die, and I don't feel like dying. However, I already stated that I will not lend you my chakra this time because --"**

"**Shut up! You've told me enough times."**

"...Stupid fox..." Naruto said loud enough for the fox to hear.

"**Stupid human."**

"**I told you to be quiet already!!"**

"**And since when do I listen to you?" **

"**When do you ever listen to me?" **Naruto replied and blocked out all of the kyuubi's presense from his mind.

Naruto gave a depressed sigh as he turned his attention to removing the bandages from his arm. He managed to unwrap most of them without a problem, at least until he got to the back of his hand. Some of the gauze was sticking to the wound and he was afraid if he pulled it off it would worsen the injury.

This type of pain was new to Naruto. Before his former sensei had taught him to communicate with the demon sealed inside him, he'd never even been aware of being the fox's container. Now he could talk with the kyuubi and share thoughts with him as well. But his injuries had always been healed without question or consent and the kyuubi wasn't exactly cooperating with him at the moment.

The genin did his best to fight back against his emotions but it did nothing to prevent the sudden onslaught of tears. Small, crystalline drops raced down his cheeks, leaving angry red marks in their wake.

"**Naruto..."**

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Naruto shouted angrily as he ripped the rest of his bandages off in a blind rage.

Red liquid slid in small gushes down his skin, staining his clothes and floor, but he didn't seem to see this. Nothing mattered at the moment except for the emotions that flooded over him as if a dam had broken during a heavy storm and all of the water was rushing over the scattered remains. And then he felt it...like he was feeling the pain again for the first time...but this was different... This was welcomed pain...pain that blocked everything out until there was nothing left behind and all of his thoughts revolved around pain itself.

He slid his right hand easily into one of the pouches on his legs and pulled out a kunai. His skin prickled with anticipation as he brought the sharp metal blade towards the skin of his right hand. A fire spread rapidly through his arm as he dug the blade deep into the open wound and dragged it through. Flecks of blood splattered on the floor and his clothes when he pulled back. He let the kunai drop from outstretched fingers onto the ground with a clatter.

The need for more pain inside him was far from satiated and all Naruto was left with was a feeling akin to hollow. Self-hatred rose within him, clawing at his insides, pulling him down further and further with each heartbeat. _'It doesn't feel like enough...I need more...I need...more pain.'_

Naruto stared blankly at the new mess on the bathroom floor, completely unaware that a few blocks away, his sensei had felt a sudden rise and fall in his chakra level and was making his way towards the apartment where he currently was.

In a half-blind, half-numb movement, he stood up and flicked the lights off, plunging the small room into darkness and concealing the details of his deed. He kept going, leaving, stopping only to lock the door securely behind him. Anger at himself wreaked havoc on his mind, twisting his chaotic thoughts until he could no longer stand it. Out in the forest of Konoha, an enormous tree fell victim to the blows of furious fists and kicks. It stood in silence as two hands rained down hit after hit until their knuckles were bloodied and sore.

Insults directed at himself slipped out occasionally as he continuede attacking the wide trunk.

"Idiot" "So stupid..." "Can't do anything right." "Everyone hates me." "Think I'm someone I'm not." "Should just leave."

He told himself over and over.

He let loose a stream of swear words when he felt one of just knuckles crach painfully against the rough bark, but once again he couldn't hold back the tears when they came. They only grew larger a Naruto fought to keep them from falling and he finally surrendered. He was blinded by them as they raced down his cheeks in familiar tracks, retracing the invisible ones from earlier. He snak to his knees on the soft dirt of the forest floor, oblivious to the dirt that stained his pants.

Kakashi made his way hastily to Naruto's apartment in the middle of the night. The setting sun made it difficult for him to see, but his other senses, almost inhumanly enhanced from years as a jonin and previous years before that as a member of the ANBU Black Ops. When he reached the door he sent a small stream of chakra beneath the small opening. The chakra spread out in a thin, invisible layer across the floor. If anyone was home, he would know.

Silent as a cat, he slipped the lock on the genin's door and opened it.

"Odd." he said to himself as he let his body relax.

He started to leave but something nagged at him from the back of his mind, something that made him pause. It was faint, so faint in fact that he could barely smell it, but he recognized the subtle smell with a sickening lurch in his stomach. It was blood.

Kakashi pushed the bathroom door open, turned the light on, and stared. A small scarlet puddle was drying on the floor. His eye caught on a reddish footprint that was pointed towards him. Something shiny winked at him from the corner of his eye. He quickly approached it and reached down. From the floor, he picked up a blood-covered kunai.

As he held it in his hand, he realized that the blood could only belong to one person: Naruto. _'Where is the kid anyways? He should be home right now, not wondering off somewhere in the middle of the night.'_

He would have been worried that something bad had happened to him except for the fact that there were no obvious signs of a struggle. The weapon clinked softly against the tiles as he set it back in its original position. He carefully erased any signs that he had been trespassing, making sure to closes both doors and turn off all the lights before re-locking the door behind him.

The jonin sped off into the darkening shadows of Konoha, head full of confusing thoughts. '_How did Naruto's blood ended up on the kunai? Why?' _He was so preoccupied with the aforementioned ninja that the nearly exhausted level of chakra belonging to a certain blond wasn't registered by his senses.

Naruto had managed to pull himself up from his position on the ground and stagger tiredly towards his home. Off in the distance he saw a figure running away, but he didn't give it a second glance. Instead, he concentrated all his efforts on forcing his body up three flights of stairs. As he reached out to grasp the doorknob, he realized that his hand was shaking.

He gritted his teeth to prepare himself for the burning pain that he knew awaited him as he stretched out his aching, blood-covered hand and opened the door. A fire spread up his arm but he ignored it. He pulled the door shut behind him.

He stumbled blindly through the darkness and finally managed to turn the lights on after the third try. The harsh light burned his eyes and he grimaced as he walked to the bathroom. The mess was, of course, as he left it. He groaned and began to clean up the congealed blood with a few wet paper towels. The kunai he stuck back in its pouch after wiping it clean of the stains.

Naruto tossed the dirty towels into the small trash can beside his sink; they made a soft tinkly sound as they landed on top of the broken shards of his former mirror. He held his right arm under the faucet until all of the blood and dirt washed off. He didn't bother wrapping the wounds, too tired to care about anything except sleep. As he turned to leave, he caught his reflection staring back at him from the spiderweb cracks in the remaining shards of glass still pathetically clinging to the frame.

Two haunted blue eyes stared unwaveringly back at him. There were huge purple bags under his eyes from his recent lack of sleep. Almost unconsciously, he reached up and removed his contacts. Now two sharingan eyes watched him closely, as if delving into the secrets he kept hidden deep within his mind, He shrugged and turned his back, closing the door on his mirror image.

A sigh escaped his lips as he collasped gratefully on his bed, not caring about all the blood that raced down his arm to stain the covers. The tension slowly released itself, leaving him limp and utterly drained. He didn't even bother to change his clothes or wash up, just closed his eyes and sank almost immediately into a deep, dreamless sleep that quickly turned into unconsciousness.

"**I will heal your wounds now, kit. If you lose any more blood, it will take longer for you to fully recover." **the nine-tailed fox used a nickname he'd recently come to call the kid who was his container.

He never used the name unless Naruto was sleeping, not wanting the boy to know of the emotional walls he naturally possessed being slowly torn down. Naruto was having an effect on him that he wasn't too fond of but, despite his immense strength, he was powerless to stop it. After being sealed inside someone's stomach for twelve years, time combined with that person seemed to mellow him out a bit.

Naruto's breathing and heart-beat slowed down dramatically as the kyuubi increased the flow of his chakra through the seal on his cage to mix with his container's chakra. The bright red energy mixed with the blue of Naruto's normal chakra and flooded his system. All of the injuries the genin had recently sustained from the mirror, training, and his late night escapade in the forest scabbed over instantly. They shrank in width and size, quickly being replaced by normal, healthy flesh.

The kyuubi withdrew his chakra immediately before settling down to sleep within the chambers of his cage. Naruto awoke briefly from a sudden pulsating warmth that had spread through his body from the fox's chakra and glanced down at his right arm. The only reminders of what had occured were two thin, faint scars on his arm and several more on his hand. His knuckles were completely healed except for pale scar tissue stretched over the top.

"**...thank you..." **Naruto said and he closed his eyes and was asleep again.

**Alright. I did decide to change Naruto's relationship with the fox demon. I don't know how many of you do or do not like this. I would appreciate some feed-back on this chapter so I can know if I'm doing this story justice now. I mean, I would really hate it if I spent half of my sleeping hours rewriting this for your enjoyment and find out later that you don't like this version. You know what I mean/sighs/ Man I hate mid-terms. I have a chemistry and a world history test tomorrow...Wish me luck!**


	4. Comfort and Confusion

** I watch only the anime show and I do not read the manga. I have realized from excerpts of manga that the character profiles and characterization differs from the show. I know that this makes the characters seem, well, out-of-character, to those who read the manga. I don't know how to fix this, so instead this is more of a heads up. If you read the manga rather than watch the anime, the characters will be a bit off. If you watch the show and read the manga, you'll understand. And for those who watch the anime only, well, I don't think you'll have any problems. Blah, enough of my babbling. On to the review replies and the chapter. Oh yeah, and this is a Naruto centered chapter today. Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**Chapter 4. Comfort and Confusion  
**

The morning came quicker than Naruto expected. He lay in bed, cocooned by his sheets and comforter, unwilling to move despite the steadily increasing rays of sunlight that struck his face as they shone through the window. The events of the past night flashed through his mind, further adding to his mentally compiled list of reasons to not get up.

"Don't wanna..." he mumbled semi-consciously, turning away from the light and stuffing his head beneath his pillow.

Sleep did not return, causing Naruto to groan in fustration. _'Time to get up and face the day.' _he thought with bitterness.

**" Yes. I suppose it is."**

**"That doesn't mean I want to though." **

**" I don't believe you have much of a choice, brat."**

** "I wasn't asking you if I did, stupid fox."**

With a sigh, he wriggled out of his bedsheets slowly, still reluctant to trade the warmth of the bed for the coldness of reality. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he noticed a blinking red light that demanded his attention.

"A message? Who would call this early?" he asked himself out loud.

A glance at the clock told him it was 11:30. He was stunned. _'Damn...I must have been more tired than I thought yesteday to have slept so late.'_

Naruto yawned, squeezing his eyes shut, and he winced. "the hell..." he said and pushed open the door to his bathroom. Two blazing red eyes stared icily back at him from the broken mirror. He peered closer and saw that his eyes were irritated. Tiny, near microscopic red veins showed in the whites of his eyes when he neared the mirror even more.

_'Probably from keeping my contacts in too long yesterday. You're such an idiot, Naruto.' _he said, the hand at his side clenching quickly into a fist.

"Relax, Naruto." he commanded himself. He looked down, realizing that he felt no pain, and with that, no injuries. They were gone, but for some reason that didn't surprise him. Although he couldn't recall waking up in the middle of the night, he was positive that he had and the nine-tailed-fox had chosen to heal them.

**"Thank you."**

The fox didn't reply, just as Naruto suspected; only gave a sleepy growl before settling down contentedly to rest again. "At least I don't have training on Thursdays. All I have to do is stay out of sight until it gets dark. I can go to my sanctuary today."

He pressed the blinking red button on his telephone answering machine.

"You have one new message. New Message one: Hey Naruto. It's me Iruka. Thought you might like to go to Ichiraku's for breakfast. My treat -"

Naruto pressed the erase button before he could hear the rest of the jonin's voice. The automated voice beeped twice.

"Message deleted. You have no new messages." it said with the cold, impartial, voice that only machines could produce.

"Sorry, Iruka-sensei. Maybe another time." he replied softly, as though his former sensei would be able to hear him.

The blond showered quickly and decided to skip breakfast, since he knew he was going to be running for a while and didn't feel like throwing up his food from the exercise. He chose his outfit carefully, remembering that his usual bright orange clothes would attract attention. _'They served their purpose well.' _

He used to wear the annoyingly vibrant orange clothes because they caused people to notice him. Being noticed, even if it was negative attention he recieved, felt better than being ignored. Today, he pulled out a uniform that looked exactly like his orange one, except that where his old outfit was orange, this one was black and it fit tighter on his body.

When he looked at himself in the remains of the bathroom mirror again, he noticed two things that startled him. One half of him was actually pleased with the way he looked dressed almost entirely in black. The other half started to wonder if he wasn't becoming obsessed with the mirror. _'Guess I'll just have to take it down and throw it away when I get back.'_

He rolled up his sleeves again, glad that only the faint white scars were left as a reminder. Even those were mostly invisible, and more than likely would disappear altogether within a few days. Naruto sighed as he shut the door behind him before he had a chance to contemplate further on what he'd done the night before. The aspects of it still scared him.

"Idiot." he murmured. He left the apartment as it was, stopping only to secure the lock behind him, and took off into the sunny streets of Konoha.

The blond-haired genin made his way quickly towards his destination, using the increased speed that came only from day after day of taijutsu practice. His sanctuary was deep within the heart of Konoha's forest, where the tall coniferous trees blocked out all light. It left the place cold and slightly damp, with a scent of earthy decay that comforted all of Naruto's senses.

**"Hey, fox. I'm going to borrow some of your chakra, okay?" **Naruto asked although it was more of a statement than an actual question.

The kitsune growled as he was awakened by Naruto's voice inside his mind.

**"Fine, brat. Now let me sleep in peace."** was the kyuubi's abrupt reply.

He infused a small amounts of the kyuubi's chakra with his own to boost his speed even more as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop. A smile tugged across his face when the wind created by his movement scattered some papers that had been stacked neatly on an open shop desk outside. A women rushed around, picking up the advertisments while searching in vain for the source of the mysterious wind.

It didn't slow his progress in the least. He couldn't allow himself to be seen in town with his sharingan eyes. _'Just imagine if they knew.' _he thought, referring to the citizens of the village hidden in the leaves.

_'People already fear me because of the kyuubi sealed inside. If they knew what other secrets I hold inside me...' _he let his thoughts trail off, preferring to leave that part blank. Thinking about it made it feel even more real, as though he had already proclaimed loudly to the people of Konoha that the blood of the Uchiha clan flowed through his veins

"...run in terror." he breathed out loud. He did not deter his speed until he neared the middle of the thick grove of trees bordering their land from the vast desert that led to the Land of Sand.

Immediately upon entering the area Naruto separated his chakra from the demon fox inside him, a handy technique taught to him during a lesson from Ji-Chan, and masked all of his entirely. The last thing he wanted was someone sensing it and trying to find him.

A familiar rock met his line of vision and he knew he was in his sanctuary. Normally, no sane person would travel this far into the forest for fear of getting lost in the tree-infested place as well as enemies. Only a strong agreement kept the Sand and Leaf villages from fighting, and there were complicated rules to the treaty as well.

Naruto slipped through the shades and shadows easily. Rare beams of pale sunlight struggled their way through the layers of leaves to shine weakly in patterns on the ground. He climbed up on the rock and leaned his back against the smooth bark of a maple tree which grew directly behind the large, greyish boulder.

He let out a sigh and closed his eyes. The faint red flush from running faded, leaving his skin darkened only by the protective shade casted by the trees. The muscles in his body relaxed as he evened his breathing out.

It had been only ten minutes since his arrival that he heard a growl. At first, he didn't know where it came from, and he scanned his surroundings for any sign of a person. Then he looked down at his stomach and patted it gently.

_'I should have brought some food along with me.' _he thought ruefully.

"Oh well. Nothing I can do about it now. I can probably find some things around here later that are good to eat." he said, replying to his thought out loud.

Even his empty stomach couldn't motivate him enough to get up and search for food. He was reluctant to move at all. It just didn't seem worth all the effort. With a start Naruto realized he was just feeling lazy. _'I wonder if this is what i's like for Shikamaru all the time. It must be really annoying having everyone on your case to do one little thing. Oh man...I really don't want to get up.'_

The genin had just fallen into a light doze when a sudden flare of chakra caused him to open his eyes. He shot to his feet, his body tensed instinctively in a defensive position. Calmly he scanned the area again, taking extra care not to make a sound. The shadows suddenly seemed deceptive, as though a hidden entity lie waiting in the darkness.

The nine-tailed-fox spirit that dwelled inside him did have its advantages, some of which his previous gaurdian taught him to use well. He learned that by concentrating on his actual chakra flow, senses enhanced naturally by the demon, like sight and smell, could be honed even more.

It was this such talent that Naruto used to separate shadow from a dark-cloaked figure just beyond the trees. Whoever it was, it didn't appear to be moving towards him. His mind raced through different scenarios and he came to a speedy conclusion. He could see the chakra of the figure displayed clearly now.

_'Must know that I already spotted them.' _the genin thought.

He felt a wave of chakra from his position on the rock and he realized that it wasn't a wave, but an actual aura. It was coming from the person hidden just beyond his range of trees

_'I've never sensed a chakra level like this before. Not even from Kakashi, and he's a jonin. Who...who is this person?'_

His right hand dropped down to the special leather pocket on his waist designed to hold sharp weapons without tearing. He pulled out a kunai, taking care to make no noise. The weight of the cold metal of the small, deadly weapon reassured him and he tightened his grip.

Still masking his chakra, he took one step forward. The figure in the distance suddenly appeared running towards him, much closer than it had originally been.

"Substitution jutsu." something similar to a smile twitched on Naruto's lips and then he vanished into thin air.

The fox's power gave him an immense power boost when he needed it, but he didn't want to use it unless he absolutely had to. Naruto allowed only the smallest amount of red chakra to slip through the seal, the result being slightly enhanced speed and hearing.

"Move one more step and this kunai will be the last thing you see." his voice spoke to the masked person. His kunai hovering just barely above throat of whoever it was behind the mask.

"You are good, wielder of the kyuubi. Better than I expected, but I wonder..." the hooded figure let his voice trail off.

"How do you know about..."

Naruto bit his question and launched a fast kick which connected only with a wooden log. He turned around him just in time to see several kunai heading right towards him. Thinking quickly, he pulled out two kunai and then threw all three of them. Each connected with another with a clang before dropping to the ground.

More kunai came, this time with senbon needles as well. They approached their intended target quickly.

_'Senbon and kunai? Usually it's one or the other, but both!!' _Naruto thought as he jumped up to dodge the weapons.

One of the senbon nicked him just across his leg, causing blood to drip down and seep into his clothes. It was only a minor cut, but it still stung. None of the kunai Naruto threw managed to reach the strange man in the cloak. He was just about to take out some more when the man suddenly attacked him head on. _'Whoever he is, man, he's fast. Remember your training, Naruto.'_

He let himself fall sideways and jumped to his feet, throwing another kunai. It was knocked to one side quickly by another of its kind. Naruto decided to attack. He charged at the man, sending a chakra powered kick towards him. The man merely brought up his left arm and blocked it. A swift punch in the gut brought Naruto to his knees.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Naruto asked, forcing himself to his feet.

"You still need much more training, Naruto, before you are ready to awaken your sharingan."

"How do you know my name?!"

The amount of chakra emanating so powerfully from the man it seemed explosive set Naruto's nerves on edge. The sheer amount of it was almost unbearable. It was actually making him start to feel a little sick. _'How much chakra does this guy have. Is he like...could he be like me?'_

A laugh came from within the robes. Naruto stiffened his body as the figure reached up and pulled his hood back.

A name escaped in a breathless whisper from the genin's lips. "...Itachi..."

** A pathetic fight, but currently, I'm just trying to fix all these chapters and make them better. I did leave it hanging off at the end, though, just to entertain you guys. Man...I'm tired. Heh, I should be sleeping right now. Hope you all liked that chapter. My next revision and update will both be delayed due to weather conditions. We probably won't have power so yeah. But just in case anyone wanted to know, I will be working on chapter 12 with pen and paper, so when I get back I'll be able to post it up soon. Thanks for reading. -Bottlecaps  
**


	5. The Truth Reveals Itself

**Hello everyone. I am hoping that within the next few chapters, I will only have to change small things and not make them longer. I received so many wonderful reviews it was just...wow... you guys are awesome. Hope you all like this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs Masashi Kishimoto. All I own is a dog tag necklace of Kakashi and another one of chibi Naruto.**

**Chapter 5. The Truth Reveals Itself**

"Why are you here? What do you want?" Naruto questioned. He drew a kunai out from his leg pouch.

He was surprised that his own voice wasn't shaking with fear, like he felt on the inside. It was no wonder. The amount of chakra generated by the man before him created an immense pressure around the area. Itachi was, after all, an Uchiha, just like Sasuke. He was, in fact, Sasuke's older brother. The same one feared by many if not all ninja. Itachi was considered a legend.

Itachi looked at the genin and his Sharingan met its crimson reflection in Naruto's eyes.

"You have grown up so much since the last time I saw you, Naruto. I am proud." Itachi said softly.

"Don't talk like you know..." he paused for a few seconds. "Wait a minute...Your voice...You sound exactly like..."

"I am. Well, I was, for some time. I still can be, if you want."

"No! I...I don't believe you. Why should I believe you? My guardian...left me a long time ago. He never would have left me here alone without a good reason, and maybe I don't know what that reason is, but there is no way you and him could ever be the same person!" he shouted. Anger and hatred bubbled inside him. Stress from the past few days was starting to really affect him.

_'Who does he think he's fooling. This is Itachi Uchiha. The same man that slaughtered his own family and entire clan except for Sasuke.'_

The kunai in his hand went quickly towards Itachi, but as it made contact, there was a puff of smoke and a log fell to the ground with the weapon embedded in its trunk.

_'A substitution jutsu? I should have figured, but I didn't see him make any hand signs.'_

"You really don't remember me, do you?" Itachi asked, appearing behind the genin. A barrage of punches and kicks came at him, but Naruto could not block all of them. He tried his best, but the Uchiha was stronger, more skillful, and more intelligent than him and it was soon obviously apparent that he could not keep up.

Naruto jumped back to avoid a punch only to have it still lightly graze his chest. Although the impact was slight, it was strong enough to send him zooming back. He landed, back-first, against a tree trunk and slid down against the rough bark.

Feeling the back of his shirt become wet and sticky with a substance he knew was blood, he forced himself to one foot and leaned most of his weight on his right knee.

"I know...all about you." Naruto's voice came in ragged gasps. "You...you murderer...You killed...Sasuke's...entire family... Ka-Kakashi-sensei...told me about you...We're a team now. Me and Sasuke...and Sakura."

"Kakashi knows nothing." Itachi said coldly. He voice was flinty, sharp and edged with anger. "I killed no one. Someone who looked like me did that. They attacked me while I was alone and made a clone disguised as me. That man...my goal is to kill that man."

Naruto paused for just a moment, considering that it might just be a possibility. He shook his head, appalled at the fact that he could actually almost believe someone like Itachi Uchiha...a cold-blooded killer.

_'Still...those movements...The way he attacks, the way he moves. Its so...familiar. Damn it. Why do I want to believe him so badly? He couldn't be Ji-chan, could he?'_

"Liar! You're a murderer. Kakashi said you killed-"

"Kakashi Hatake. The famous copy-nin." Itachi spat the name out with disgust. "Do you honestly believe everything he says? How do you know he isn't the one deceiving you? Does he treat you -" he paused to side-step a blow from Naruto with ease. " different than Sasuke or Sakura?"

_'Why...it's like something nagging in the back of my mind. There's something...familiar about his movements...Almost like...his...but that can't be. It doesn't make any sense. But I feel like I've seen this before...I know...his movement. His ways of attacking. His speed. But it can't be. There's just no way it could be...'  
_

"Shut up! He's my sensei!" Naruto retorted loudly and sent a roundhouse kick with his words. Itachi smirked at the visible display of anger as he caught the genin's foot with one hand.

"And besides. Sasuke would have known it was you. Kakashi-sensei might not have told me all of the details about his past, but he did tell me enough to know when to keep quiet. Even if someone sent a shadow clone of you they wouldn't have been able to copy your Sharingan!"

"And what do you know about the Sharingan, hmm? I have studied your movements using my own, and you, you don't even know how to activate it. So what _can _you tell me about this kekkei genkai?" Itachi retorted, pushing Naruto back and releasing his foot.

Naruto recoiled physically as though he had been struck in the face. A dead look came into his eyes and he stood without moving, head down, arms hanging limp at his sides, hair casting a shadow over his face. It was a look of pure dejection. One radiating so strongly from the boy it seemed almost unreal.

An abnormal quiet set in around them. Not even the wind stirred the branches of the trees. It suddenly grew cold and Itachi suppressed the natural desire to shiver.

"I know." Naruto's voice came out low and barely audible. "I know that I can't...use my Sharingan. The one thing...that my mother gave me...all that I have of her...and I can't."

"I can't even use it!" Naruto shouted, suddenly angry. He dropped to his knees and punched a fist into the ground, frustrated at the lack of ability to use the only gift passed on by his mother.

The Uchiha almost flinched when he heard a knuckle pop loudly, ringing through the quiet, and then the sound of soft sobbing began. He swallowed his words, afraid to provoke Naruto further into his descent of self-pity.

_'He never used to be like this...Never taking out his anger on himself. What happened to you Naruto? What happened to you while I was gone? What did...what did Konoha do to make you like this.'_

"I can't use it alright. I know that! I know but I don't know why! Or how!!"

Itachi observed silently, acute senses telling him that the boy was not yet done with his rant.

"I've had..." he stopped, choking up momentarily. He cleared his throat and continued. " I've had...no one...to teach me...after my guardian left...Everyone here in Konoha hates me. They treat me...like garbage...Less than garbage. Like I'm some kind of monster...because of the Kyuubi sealed inside me. All I've been doing...is living a lie. My sensei has to know about it...But I can't even tell my own team-mates...because I'm afraid they'll hate me like everyone else. I don't...," he wiped tears from his eyes and sniffed loudly. ", want this anymore. If you're going to kill me, then just do it already." he finished, picking up his head to look Itachi straight in the eyes.

Itachi met his stare and was shocked. _'His eyes. They seem so haunted, so empty. Is this...my fault. Is this my fault for leaving you in the hands of these villagers. I never thought they would treat him this way. I'm so sorry, Naruto. I never should have left you like that. I was blinded by anger...by hatred...by the need for revenge against Orochimaru. You bastard...even now you find ways to hurt the ones I love. You are a bastard...And so am I for leaving you to kill him, Naruto.'_

"Naruto..." Itachi trailed off, at a loss for words. A look of deep regret came into his crimson eyes. " I hate to do this to you but it doesn't look like I have much of a choice. If this is the only way I can get you to remember me, then so be it."

He was gone in a flash, appearing less than a second later right behind Naruto. With an adept hand he struck a small nerve right next to Naruto's neck. A blank expression appeared on his face, red eyes wide with surprise and shock.

"Only...only...Ji-chan knew...about that...weak..spot..." his voice came out no louder than a whisper. He dropped to the ground with a thud.

The black robes swished around the Uchiha's ankles as he approached the paralyzed blond. His eyes stared sightlessly up into the rich, dense, green canopy above him.

"I guess you are my sensei after all, Itachi. I'm sorry I didn't believe you at first." Naruto croaked out. Tears spilled out and dribbled down his face, but he couldn't move to wipe them. They clung to his skin until gravity caused the droplets to detach themselves and absorb into the soft, cool earth beneath the canopy.

A detached expression fixed itself on Itachi's face and his eyes clouded with unreadable emotions. He carefully picked up Naruto's body. He stared at the solemn kid in his arms.

"So jaded." he whispered lowly so that Naruto couldn't hear him. "Just like Sasuke now." he whispered even lower, admitting that he had watched his younger brother grow up wrapped in a blanket of self-induced isolation and vengeance.

"All this is my fault. And I will fix it." He said determinedly.

"Not your fault." Naruto muttered incoherently.

"I'm going to take you far away from here, Naruto. You can train under my eyes so I can teach you how to use your Sharingan. Would you like that?" he asked.

He received a silent nod in reply.

"I'll teleport you to your apartment so you can get your things together. Today is Thursday so I will come for you on Saturday, alright. Meet me here shortly before 1 A.M. and tell no one where you are going." Itachi went on.

"O.K." Naruto said quietly. A distant look filled his red eyes, but the haunted appearance had not left either.

There was a small, controlled surge of chakra, a cloud of smoke, and then they vanished into thin air.

Itachi placed the still-paralyzed Naruto on the mussed hunter green bedspread in his apartment room and although he longed to survey the area to see just exactly what things Naruto had dealt with in the past, he didn't, knowing that it was best to be respectful of his privacy.

"Saturday." he said as a final reminder, and teleported himself away.

Naruto lay awake, staring thoughtfully at the stark white roof over his head. In his mind, he had already gotten over the shock of learning that Sasuke's older brother had once been his mentor. It still jarred him slightly, and somehow that lead to him mulling over Itachi's words on Kakashi.

_'What secrets does Kakashi have? Well, it doesn't matter. I only have to get through Friday's training and then I'll be gone. That won't matter anymore.' _he pushed his thoughts away from that and focused on the present.

"Maybe things can get better..." he mumbled and closed his eyes. There was nothing else to do except wait for the effects of the struck nerve to wear off.

**I wish I could have made this longer, but I didn't have the time to. I will continue trying to improve the aspects of my story. Don't worry. I've finally gotten around to writing the beginning of chapter 12, but I still have mistakes to correct in my old chapters. Thanks for reading. Until next time. Also, I will be using the English version of jutsu. They aren't as cool, but I'm sticking with what I know. Thanks again for reading.**


	6. To Find a Solution

**Hey there. Rewriting this was no peice of cake, I'll tell you that much. I still wish I could have made it longer, and I know my writing still needs some work, but I feel like I'm getting somewhere. Well, enough of my chit-chat. I'm sure you all want to get to the chapter already. A thanks goes out to all who've read, reread, and taken the patience to send me a PM because they can't review normally. You're time spent reading my fanfic is greatly appreciated.**

**disclaimer: Naruto and all other characters of the television show so wonderfully brought to me by cartoon network is licensed to Masashi Kishimoto.  
**

**Chapter 6. To Find A Solution **

A silver-haired jonin perched high up on tree branch, but for once it was one of the few instances in his life where flippantly turning the pages of Icha Icha Paradise was unnecessary. Instead, he thought quietly, mulling over the events that had occured the previous night.

_'The blood...the kunai...the bandages on his arm. Why wasn't Naruto home when I went to check on him. Where would he go at that time of night.'_

He groaned, feeling a headache approaching fast, and ran a hand through his silver hair in a show of frustration. He had gone meticulously over each and every scenario his mind have given him: a fight, but there were no signs of a struggle, an accident, but judging by the depth of the hole in the wall it seemed unlikely, and nothing seemed to be adding up, except for one.

Kakashi was unwilling to think about what it all implied; something so ridiculous in his head yet the perfect clarity of it screamed at him. It was almost unthinkable, but his jonin mind was trained to take in every single detail and analyze it. The result of this skill heightened his perception even more. However, it didn't mean that he always liked what he found.

"But why would he do that to himself?" he spoke quietly, shaking his head back and forth. " It makes no sense. He's never shown any outward signs of hatred towards himse-" Kakashi cut himself as a chill crept down his spine.

The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up. Someone was watching him, he could feel it. A split second later he was flying through hand-seals, stopping only when he heard a noise. It was then that he realized it was only a genin squad and their sensei coming to train.

"Paranoid, Kakashi." he told himself. "Like I said before, if I'm still sane after I'm finished training my squad, I'll be lucky. And if I'm not...well...oh well."

Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzaka, and Shino Aburame entered the field, followed by their jonin sensei, Kurenai Yuhi.

He debated on dropping in to say hello, but that was quickly solved for him.

"Hey, Hatake. What are you doing over here in our training grounds? Don't you have a genin squad to be torture-training right now?" Kurenai asked, red eyes shining mirthfully.

Her voice caught the silver-haired jonin off-guard and he lost his balance, just barely managing to use his chakra to stick himself to the tree before he could fall. Kurenai earned an embarrassed chuckle from the sheepishly grinning ninja.

"It's Thursday. I hold my practices on Mondays,Tuesdays, Fridays, and Satur-..." He stopped, realizing he was sounding like an idiot. Finally he took a breath and said " I have practices every day _except _Wednesdays and Mondays."

She let out a laugh and then proceeded to assign duties to Kiba and Shino. Neither of them complained as they practiced a confrontive battle situation. Shino blocked kunai with his own, which were thrown by the "enemy ninja" whose role was played by Kiba.

They used this training to help them defend against attackers better if, while out during a tracking mission, they met with an enemy. In missions such as those escaping from an enemy as soon as possible and staying alive long enough to return to the base with the information gained were two extremely important factors that help determine the successfulness of a mission.

Kakashi then noticed that Hinata wasn't training with her other teammates. Instead, the quiet, pale-eyed girl stumbled over and sat down behind a tree, hands wrapped around her legs, and hung her head so her dark hair hid her face. He watched as Kurenai's expression flickered from a slight smile to one of deep, motherly concern.

She looked at him, words written across her face. Kakashi immediately understood that she wanted to talk to him and they left quietly so as not to disturb the practice. Once they were safely out of hearing range, he nodded slightly to show he was listening.

"It's her father again." she started. " I have been driving my team hard and they have all improved some since they've been with me. However, as you and I both know, Hinata has many self-concious issues, of which her father disapproves greatly. She's had it so tough, having to know that Hanabi's skills are...more developed than her own even though she is several years younger than her sister. I hate seeing her so depressed like this, but I don't know what else to do besides support her as best I can. I don't think anything I say can help her. What she needs is someone who can understand her feelings...whose been in her shoes before."

Kakashi's mouth tightened into a grim line, remembering the somewhat infamous temper of the head of the Hyuga Clan. Hiashi Hyuga was well-known by most of the shinobi throughout Konoha for his slightly estranged ways and superior attitude.

"She likes Naruto." he said quietly, saying what came to his mind without thinking.

"I know that already, Hatake." she responded with a pathetic excuse for a smile. It didn't reach even half-way to her eyes.

The two jonin stood, each concentrating deeply on coming up with a solution to the problems at hand. Kurenai stared sightlessly up at the frilly cumulus clouds and remembered how Hiashi's cruel words had always hurt Hinata. They seemed to scar her deeper than she let on. While the kunoichi contemplated about Hinata's melancholy attitude, Kakashi attempted to figure out why the "number-one, hyper-active, knuckle-headed ninja" of Konoha would be hurting himself.

He shook his head. _'There is no way. It simply can't be. The blood and the kunai must have just been a mistake. He is always smiling and laughing. Naruto wouldn't do that to himself deliberately...would he?' _he stopped, wondering why he denied the possibility of it so strongly. He pushed it to the back of his mind and focused instead on the present. Then he realized that Kurenai had been talking.

"-talk to Naruto" she finished.

"Sorry, Kurenai. You're going to have to repeat that. I wasn't quite listening." Kakashi smiled, and although it was hidden by the blue, skin-tight mask that covered the bottom half of his face, it showed in his one black eye.

"I was saying that maybe we could get Hinata to talk to Naruto. She gets her strength and courage from him. If they were to be around each other for awhile, maybe he would be able to make Hinata a little more confident in herself. And I'm not repeating myself again." she sent Kakashi a teasing glare.

_'Would that work? It's logical reasoning after all, so I don't see why it wouldn't. But Naruto...he is hiding something. Maybe Hinate can find a way to help him as well.'_

Kakashi nodded in agreement, but said nothing about the incident involving Naruto. He decided that he would question the shy Hyuga afterwords and see if he had mentioned anything. _'I will find out what's going on before this gets too out-of-hand.' _he thought determinedly.

Kurenei gave one more final nod and they both returned to the training field. Their conversation had taken longer than they expected, and by now both the Inuzaka and the Aburame were covered in sweat from the constant exercise. Kiba stopped to push back a few annoying strands of black hair that had stuck themselves stubbornly to his forehead.

Shino stood in a quiet, dignified manner, but breathed heavily all the same. What surprised Kurenai, though she said nothing, was that he was over by Hinata, attempting to talk to her. Normally, the kid was amazingly stoic for his age. He didn't speak much; he never had. Most of the time he was silent and only talked when he felt it was necessary. Unlike Shikamaru however, he was anything but lazy. Kurenai knew how seriously Shino took his training.

Once Shino spotted Kurenai, he looked up and shrugged his shoulders. "No luck. Are we finished training?" he said using body language to converse with his sensei. She understood his gesture and nodded once.

Shino disappeared from the area in a swarming buzz of insects, leaving behind his sensei and two teammates.

"Quiet for a genin. It's almost spooky." Kakashi spoke, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"They say it's the quiet one's that you should really pay attention to."

Kakashi blinked, letting the old information sink it. _'Why didn't I remember that? Now that I really think about it, Naruto smiles and laughs most of the time, but he rarely says anything involving his home life. I don't even know how he was registered for the ninja academy...He always has a smile on...could he be hiding something behind it. He never mentions anything about the general negative attitude of Konoha against him. And he doesn't even know why he's treated that way. Because of the fox...the nine-tailed kitsune imprisoned within his body. Why couldn't I see it before? I should have paid more attention to him, talked to him more. Maybe he would open up. None of his childhood memories must be very pleasant.'_

He withdrew from his thoughts in time to see Kurenai smile faintly and start towards Hinata. Thinking quickly, he reached out and gripped her shoulder. She stiffened slightly from the pressure and he removed his hand.

She turned to face him with a look of confusion. "What is it?"

"I'll tell Naruto to talk to Hinata. I think it would be easier than making Hinata go alone. She has trouble approaching him, remember?" Kakashi said in a tone only those closest to him could here. In this case, Kurenai.

She agreed without speaking, but then Kiba interjected.

"Hinata isn't only my team-mate, but my friend as well. If you think there is any way I can possibly help, then tell me and I will."

"Then you can go tell Naruto to come here. Your sensei and I both think that he might be able to instill some confidence in her. Will you go?" Kakashi asked.

"Of course I will. Just tell me how to get to Naruto's place and he'll be here in no time." he replied.

Kakashi gave the genin directions and watched as he ran off to find Naruto. He gave a small sigh and walked over to the dark-haired Hyuga, who still hadn't left the position she was in earlier when she arrived. He bent down to her level and carefully placed a hand on her shoulder in an uncharacteristic attempt to comfort her. The jonin disliked being in emotional situations as he never knew what to do.

Hinata jerked her head up, startled by the sudden contact. Kakashi took in her bloodshot eyes, which were red and puffy from crying. A pale blue bruise was just starting to show itself on her right cheek. _'Jeez! Did Hiashi actually go far enough to strike her this time? Kurenai didn't mention anything about it. Maybe she doesn't know.' _he thought, his already small tolerance of the head of the Hyuga Clan slipping down another notch. Now it was nonexistant.

_'If he did strike her, he could...no he couldn't. They are related by blood. It would be seen as punishment, but still, it is unethical. He cannot be allowed to get away with something like this. Then again, I should not jump to conclusions. After all, I haven't heard Hinata's side of the story._

"It's going to be alright, okay." he spoke calmly, trying to reassure her. Then he realized she was trembling.

He stood up, trying to ignore the tears that were welling up in her eyes._' Stay calm. Stay calm. I can't do this. Oh please don't get emotional on me. I don't know what to do in situations like these. Please, please, please.' _he prayed silently, nervously glancing at Hinata.

Fortunately, his prayer was answered. Hinata just rested her head on her knees and curled up tighter, if it was even possible. Kakashi looked at Kurenai just in time to see her teleport away. He sighed again and began the long walk to the Hokage's office. '_But still, if Hinata is in danger of being harmed just by living in her own home, then something needs to be done before the situation gets too serious.' _he thought, picking up his pace to an easy run. _'Now I have even more to think about. I should go to the Hokage, but without evidence to support my concern, there isn't anything I can do. I need to be patient is all. Patience is a very important part of being a ninja...especially a jonin.'_

**Alright then. I promise I will try to have chapter 12 up soon, but I'm still in the process of revising and correcting. I'm trying to get my chapters perfect, at least grammatically speaking. I'm tweaking it here and there, trying to get it just right. I still have more to write anyways. I wanted to extend the length of this chapter by at least another two pages, but it really is harder than I thought it would be. I'll work on fixing my chapters until they start getting longer. Then I will make only minor corrections until I can post up chapter 12 and then continue from there. Once again, your patience is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading. -Bottlecaps.**

**Oh yes. One more minor note please. I am happy to announce that Jessi's (better known as Tara the Two-Tailed Fox on this website) surgery went well and she is on the road to recovery. She apologizes for the delay in updating her fanfic, but promises to come over and finish it as soon as she can walk again. She's happy to be out of the hospital though. Apparently the hospital simply doesn't tolerate her fear of lime green Jell-O..XD  
**

**  
**


	7. Concerns

**Woo-hoo! Chapter seven has been posted up already. Things just seem to be flowing along in this story so much that I don't have a big problem with writers block. I suppose another thing that helps is that I also have Naruto: Ultimate Ninja for my ps2 and I love to play whenever I can. The game is so awesome! Alrighty, then. On to the review replies.**

**Sunny-rain: Yes, Naruto will be in this chapter.**

**DaisyAnimeluvr: Thank you for your review ad your kind words. I'm actually having fun writing this story, which is awesome for me because it means I tend to update faster. Hope you like this chappie.**

**Watashi no Sukinahito: Thanks for your review. I hope you like this chapter.**

**Cyber-Porygon: Thank you for the information. I was able to get to the website just fine and it did provide some useful information.**

**Dragon Man 180: Yeah, wikipedia was able to help me with some of the character's personalities and the information on the other things likes jutsus and the like were vital to writing my story. Thanks for the website hint. And as for Kiba, well, you'll find out in this chapter.**

**bob: Maybe the HinataXNaruto pairing is overused, but I can't change it now. I've come too far! I hope you continue reading my story all the same. **

**Isthisparadise, San child of the woves, and Lunar Purple Princess: Thank you all for your reviews.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own this wonderful anime/manga known as Naruto. I do, however, own the plot.**

**Chapter 7. Concern**

Naruto groaned and stretched in the dying light of the sun that streamed in through his window. After an hour of laying completely and utterly still in the steadily darkening room, the paralysis had worn off and he was grateful to be moving around again.

A wave of nausea overcame him and he stumbled across, but didn't fall over. Then his stomach growled. He remembered that he hadn't eaten anything throughout the entire day. He immediately went about boiling some water to make ramen. Naruto tugged open one cabinet door, which hung precariously off of one hinge, above his kitchen sink to reveal...dust and cobwebs.

"Kuso." He swore beneath his breath.

On tip-toes he strained to see all the way to the back of the cabinet, but there was nothing to see. He muttered another curse and switched off the little Bunsen burner where a pot of water sat just beginning to bubble.

"I guess I better go get some more ramen before the store closes." he said, speaking to himself out loud. Just then he heard a loud knock at the door.

"Who the hell would be here this late?" he asked and blinked. _'When did I start swearing so much? I really don't like it at all.' _he thought, dismayed.

"Hey, Naruto! If you're here then open up!" a male's voice shouted.

The blond-haired genin recognized the sound of the voice. It belonged to Kiba Inuzaka, a genin like himself who was a member of Team 8. He walked over to the door and reached out for the handle.

"Kiba? What are...hold on! I'll be right there!" he said and pulled his hand back as if the doorknob had scorched him. _'Contacts! What the hell was I thinking! He would have seen my Sharingan if I had opened the door. You are such an idiot, Naruto!' _he admonished himself angrily.

Naruto dashed to the bathroom, thrust open the door, and with ease gained only from years of practice, he put a pair of cerulean blue contacts on over his Sharingan eyes.

His vision dimmed and pulsed several times and he felt sick to his stomach. _'I guess my eyes adjusted to being uncovered and now that I'm wearing contacts again, the Sharingan is reacting to the pressure. I don't feel too well. I need to eat something.'_

"I'm coming. Just give me a sec." Naruto said.

He straightened up, forcing his body to stand erect, and managed to walk to the door without swaying. He opened the door with a sigh and allowed Kiba inside.

"This place looks like hell. What happened?" Kiba asked, taking note of the hole-spotted walls, the cabinet still dangling by one hinge, the cobwebs in the corners of the rooms, the worn state of the bare wooden floor beneath him, a shattered window, and the light his small kitchenette that had just then decided to flicker on and off erratically.

"Its always like this, Kiba. Come inside. By the way, do you have anything to eat. I'm star- I'm hungry." Naruto said, rewording his sentence carefully.

_'I'm not starving. Just hungry. Starving is growing up eating food out of other peoples' trash cans.' _he scolded himself.

Kiba gave him an odd look.

"You don't look so good, Naruto. Your face is all pale. You alright?" the Inuzaka asked.

Just then, Kiba's ninken(1), Akamaru, chose to join in the conversation. He jumped right at Naruto's face without warning, but the genin instinctively held out his arms and caught the off-white ball of fur as it lunged at him.

"Hey there, Akamaru." Naruto greeted the dog, who responded with two yips.

The dog sniffed him and stiffened. A small, low, growl freed itself from his throat. He barked at Naruto twice before jumping back to Kiba.

"What's up with him?" Naruto asked, fighting tooth and nail to not sway. His legs felt like Jell-O and a surge of nausea threatened to overwhelm him.

"Akamaru says that your chakra level is unstable. Are you okay, Naruto?" Kiba said, sharp black eyes studying the genin's face.

Naruto was reminded briefly of the demon fox sealed within his body. He swore he felt the powerful creature stir restlessly in his mind.

"_Demon! Get out of our village. You don't deserve to be here. You just want to trick us into believing you are friendly and then you will kill us all. Get out, you monster!" _

He gasped sharply, feel the words slice through his mind. It brought a wave of pain both fresh and old. The insults still stung, even though he tried so hard not to let them get through his barrier. It was always the words spat at him, jagged with pure, unadulterated hatred and contempt, that made him feel like he was losing control.

"I'm fine." Naruto said forcefully, dragging his mind back to the present. He silently willed Kiba to drop the matter and tell him what he was there for.

"Listen. The sun is going down, so its going to get dark soon. I need you to talk to Hinata for me."

"What? Why?" the blond genin interrupted.

"Let me finish. Hinata is my friend as well as my team mate, and I'm worried about her. So is Shino. She's been having some problems with her father, and she hasn't been dealing with it too well. My sensei and your sensei talked about it. Hinata looks up to you. She gets her strength and courage from you. If you could talk to her tonight, or even just go over and be with her for a while, then maybe she'll have more confidence in herself." Kiba finished and looked at Naruto expectantly.

_'What? Hinata...problems with her father...I remember him. He was always yelling at her for something or other. I don't think I can help... Besides...only two more days until Saturday, and then I won't be here anymore.' _

Naruto felt a lump forming in his throat. It felt like someone had stuff a wad of cotton into his mouth and made him eat it. He swallowed thickly as he remembered his promise to Itachi. He shivered in the last dim rays of the sun, feeling cold and extremely uncomfortable. All he wanted to do was crawl under a rock and disappear.

"Listen...Kiba.. I don't think-"

"Just do it. Please. I hate seeing her like this. She likes you, Naruto. You can help her. Please, if not for her than at least do it for me." Kiba pleaded.

Naruto exhaled loudly and conceded. _'When I go with Itachi...I'll leave this whole place behind I'll leave all my people behind. My friends...You're so selfish, Naruto! Maybe this is my last chance to do something good before I'm gone. I better not mess it up.'_

"I'll go then. Where is she?"

"Training grounds."

"Thanks." Naruto said. He closed and locked the door before speeding off in the direction of the training grounds.

Kiba watched the genin's retreating form grow smaller and small in the distance with an expression of confusion, satisfaction, and concern.

"I think I need to talk to Kakashi." he said to himself. His voice was so low that only Akamaru could hear him.

**(1) ninken: I believe this means a ninja dog, but I don't know for sure. I mean, I got it from wikipedia, so...um, yeah. I hope that clears up everything. If I'm mistaken, please let me know.**

**And that is chapter 7. Oh yeah, I do have one question. How would you all feel about me introducing an OC to the story. I may use one of my own, or you can submit one of your own. It has to be a little kid though. I make no promises that I will use any of yours, but if I do, I will make sure the credit is given to whoever submitted it. Even so, I might add another OC or two later on. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, even though not much happened in here. Hopefully there will be some NarutoXHinata fluffyness soon. Thats all for now. Ciao!**


	8. A Question Born of Sorrow

**Heck ya. Chapter 8 up already. I am _so _good. /dances around/ I've realized that my chapter appear to get shorter and shorter, so I'm gonna try and fix that. This is gonna be a super long chapter. Ha-ha-ha. Okay. I want to thank: Dragon Man 180, sunny-rain, isthisparadise, blackheart, guise, Dez Guardius (ahh! You read my mind! Shh, don't tell everyone else whats gonna happen! ), Cyber-Porygon (thanks for your support), and love. You all rock!**

**Alcyone-blk: Oops. I guess I made a mistake on the geography of the land. Hmm, thanks for telling me. I'll try to see if I can fix that later on. Thanks for reviewing.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Naruto and all other characters are licensed to Masashi Kishimoto. But I do own the OC that will appear later on in the fanfic.**

**Just a Reminder**

**'bold '**demon/human communication'

"regular" talking

_'italic' _thoughts

**_'bold and italic' _demon thoughts.**

**Chapter 8. A Question Born of Sorrow**

Thin veils of silvery-lavender night clouds twined their ways across the ebony sky, accented by the twinkling of infinite stars. A calm quiet filled the atmosphere. All in all, it should have been a very peaceful night, but a small sound punctuated the silence.

Hinata gazed teary-eyed up towards the heavens. Red trails marred the pale skin of her cheeks, which were slightly pink from crying. _'It isn't true.' _she thought despairingly, remembering the sharp, barbed words her father had spoken.

"_You're good for nothing, Hinata! Even Hanabi shows more promise than you and she is five years younger. You are not worthy of carrying the Hyuga title. How can you be my daughter? I wouldn't care if you died. You mean nothing to me! Nothing!!" _Hiashi's angry voice echoed in her mind.

Her hand reached up and touched a spot on her right cheek. A blue mark, the faint beginnings of a bruise, appeared to glow in the moonlight. Hinata generated a small amount of green chakra - healing chakra - under two fingers and pressed it against her jaw.

A purple spark erupted from beneath her fingers, negating the energy and effectively numbing her fingers. _'What did he do when he hit me...I still can't heal this...people will see and ask..I can't tell them...they probably wouldn't believe me if I told them the truth...' _Hinata's eyes brimmed with fresh tears.

She let them fall, crying softly under the cover of night. She was oblivious to a figure watching from just beyond the inner trees of the training grounds.

Naruto shifted his weight quietly from one foot to the other, unsure of how to approach Hinata. He had only been watching her for a few minutes, using the shadows as cover, but it was enough to clearly see that there was something wrong.

He felt a twisting sensation in his gut. For a moment, his hunger was forgotten as he allowed the Kyuubi to enhance his sense of hearing. He focused keenly on the shy Hyuga and was able to make out the sound of muffled sobbing.

_'She's crying here all alone, at night, and she is still trying to hide it...How do I...do I just go up to her or something.' _he thought.

He concentrated again, forgetting about the two steaming bowls of miso ramen from Ichiraku's he held in each hand. Hot broth slopped sideways and rolled down the outside of one of the styrofoam containers. It scalded his hand, snapping him back to reality. He let out a low hiss of pain, juggled the bowl until it was on top of the other bowl, and fanned his left hand back and forth until the burning subsided.

Red chakra glowed over the wound, healing it instantly. Naruto wasn't controlling it. No. It was the nine-tailed-fox acting on its own free will, and it was acting to preserve his vessel's body. Death to Naruto would mean the end for the fox demon.

_'Yeah...that's right. If I die, then you die with me.' _the genin thought. _'That's why whenever I...' _Naruto stopped as he felt someone watching him.

"**Shut up. I don't have to heal your burn, you know. It wouldn't bother me at all if I just left it there."**

_'Alright, alright. Touchy today aren't we?'_

"**I can hear your thoughts, brat. I'm inside your head."**

_'Sometimes I wish you weren't.'_

_**'I never said I wanted to be in your head either.' **_the fox demon thought flippantly.

"Hinata." he whispered breathlessly, realizing that she must have sensed the chakra coming from the fox.

He turned back towards her and saw that she had indeed felt the small flare of chakra emulating from the fox. He could see her pale lavender eyes scanning the forest nervously. His body tingled as her vision passed over him. She hadn't activated the Byakugan yet; he could tell. Something about it intrigued Naruto. Hinata's eyes refocused on his hiding spot.

"Shit." he mumbled. Grabbing the ramen bowls, he walked reluctantly out into the open

"N-N-Naruto? W-what are you...doing out here?" Hinata asked, stumbling over her words.

The silvery moonlight illuminated her face, making her skin look even paler in its glow. At the same time, Naruto's thin whisker marks grew small shadows beneath them. He rubbed them self-consciously, feeling the shallow indentations on his cheeks.

"Yeah, it's me. Sorry if I scared you, Hinata. I thought you...er...might be hungry. Here." he said and held out a bowl of ramen to her.

"Thanks." she managed in a voice above a whisper. Her cheeks flushed red as she accepted the steaming bowl.

"It's miso." Naruto said and he walked a little ways before plopping down in the soft grass.

He gazed up at the ebony black sky, immersing himself in his thoughts. He barely noticed Hinata sitting down, not too near him, but not exactly far away either. _'It's like she's afraid of me...could she be? No. Hinata has always treated me fairly...unlike the villagers.' _

Naruto forced himself back to the present and shifted his gaze until he was watching the quiet Hyuga from the corner of his eye. He blushed slightly when he realized that he had been staring.

_'She is really pretty.' _Naruto thought, turning red again, but he silently thanked the night sky for masking the details of his face.

Her pale lavender eyes matched her light skin and contrasted sharply with her dark purple hair. She had a slender build, he could tell, even though the baggy tan jacket covered much of her body. It was as Naruto was noting her features that he saw a barely visible white aura rising from her cheek. He wanted to ask, but thought better of it as he remembered Kiba's words.

"_She admires you, Naruto. She looks up to you for strength. But your sensei and my sensei talked, and they believe that if you talk to Hinata, even if it's just for a little bit, that it might help her."_

_'Don't ask her about it. Kiba said she was having some problems with her father. It isn't any of my business.' _he thought, although he couldn't explain the sudden surge of rage as he considered the possibility that her father might have actually gone far enough to hurt his own daughter.

_'Hinata is kind to everyone. She doesn't deserve to be intentionally hurt by anyone.' _he was startled by his protective revelation.

"Hey, Hinata..." Naruto started, then stopped, unsure of how to began their conversation. This was the first time he'd ever spent talking to the Hyuga alone.

She must have heard him, but she said nothing. Naruto saw the imperceptible tilt of her head in his direction. The soft glow of the moonlight illuminated her face, giving her a heavenly appearance. When she spoke, her voice was so low it that he had to strain to hear it.

"I'm...s-s-sorry. You d-didn't need t-t-o come all the..." she swallowed once. "w-way out here." she finished.

Hinata poked her index fingers together nervously and glanced at Naruto. From her mind she could easily remember how Naruto looked in the sun. His skin was deeply tanned from spending many days out training or doing D-Rank missions, and his bright blond hair seemed like a halo out in the sun. His ever-present smile, though at times she felt that there was more than just happiness behind it. But the one thing that Hinata admired Naruto for the most was his strength and courage.

She knew that his childhood had been long gone before he even turned seven, when he joined the Academy. She could still remember the dejected look on his face as he sat, alone, on a tire swing underneath the shade of a huge tree near the school. She heard the whispers...felt the overwhelming killing intent aimed at him... saw the goofy smile that never seemed to leave his face, even when he was sad.

A cold chill raced down her spine when she took in his eyes. They were blue, as they always were, but she sensed something different about them. They seemed colder, more distant, and shockingly hollow. She instantly knew that something was wrong and her concern for her secret crush overcame her shyness.

"Naruto? What happened?" she asked. Her voice was still soft, but it was louder than she usually spoke.

He whipped his head around to gaze at her, and she was startled by the intensity of his cerulean eyes. She let out a silent gasp. Before she fully knew what she was doing, some natural instinct kicked in and she went over and pulled him into a hug.

Surprisingly, he offered no resistance. He sat there, pressed against her chest, head resting on her shoulder. Hinata felt him tense for a few seconds, but then he relaxed into the warmth of the embrace. She was surprised when he went totally limp in her arms, and even more surprised when she felt something damp on her shoulders. _'Is Naruto...crying? I've...never seen him cry before..' _

She hesitated slightly before putting her hand on his back. She rubbed it up and down slowly, soothingly, the way her own mother used to do before she passed away...

His sobbing was silent except for a few words whispered into the sleeves of her jacket. She couldn't make them out. Naruto didn't know why he felt so secure in Hinata's arms, but he was warm, and for once he was able to release the tension that had been tearing him up on the inside.

"I'm sorry, Hinata." he said, pulling back, nervous laughter echoing from his lips.

Hinata felt the heat rising in her cheeks, realizing what she had just done, but his words confused her. _'Why would he be sorry?'_

"Naruto..." she started, but her voice faded away before she could finish. She started again, determined to support her crush any way she could, even though she was pretty sure he didn't know about her feelings for him. Then again, he always did surprise people by remembering the most important things, like when someone's birthday was, or what flowers someone liked, or what they enjoyed doing in their spare time.

She could still remember Shikamaru's last birthday, when he had turned 13. It was only a small party, and not everyone brought gifts, but somehow Naruto had known that the lazy genius was genuinely fond of star-gazing. She remembered watching Shikamaru's eyes light up when he saw the telescope and how happy Naruto was to see that he liked it. _'Happy...was Naruto ever truly happy? Even after all he's been through?' _

"Naruto. What do you have to be sorry for?" she asked at last.

Naruto withdrew further and moved back until there was about four feet of space between them. He looked up at the sky, watching the stars that glittered almost obscenely in the velvet blackness. They reminded him of bones; broken bones that pierced through muscle and skin and dripped with scarlet blood.

He shook his head, dismissing the morbid thoughts from his mind.

Hinata stood up and brushed the dirt off of her dark blue capri pants. She stretched limberly, freed of her usual self-conscious attitude, removing the cramps that had formed in her legs while she was sitting on the hard ground.

"I have...a lot of things to be sorry for, Hinata. Even I don't know them all." he said quietly.

Hinata heard the bitterness in his voice, but said nothing. Instead she watched him closely. She could feel her Byakugan pulsing softly, calling to be released. _'Why is it reacting to Naruto? I don't understand.'_

She pushed the command away, stuffing it into the recesses of her mind. What mattered now was helping the person she cared about.

"If you...need to talk about something, I will listen. I...might not understand...but its impossible to keep it inside you forever..." she said, pausing throughout the sentence despite her attempt to hold her shyness at bay.

Somehow, it was always easy to talk around Naruto. He normally had such an open air about him, as though he would listen to anything anyone had to say about anything. Something about him tonight was different, but she couldn't place it.

She pulled herself from her thoughts and blinked quickly when she realized that the blond-haired genin was standing in front of her again. She stood still, trying her hardest not to tremble or step back. The memories of her father's anger resurfaced, dragging her under with its weight.

"_You mean nothing to me, Hinata! Nothing."_

"It's not true." she whispered.

She tried to suppress the hot tears that burned her eyelids, but it was to no avail. She sank to her knees and curled up as tight a she could on the ground. The sound of her crying floated up to Naruto's ears.

Naruto shifted uneasily. _'What am I supposed to do? Should I just...I mean...could I? This is so stupid.' _he shook his head briefly and squatted down to Hinata's level.

"Hinata. What's wrong?"

She sobbed fiercely. Naruto remained silent. He had never seen Hinata cry before. He had never broken down in front of anyone before until now; there hadn't really been anyone to cry in front of and Itachi hadn't tolerated it. She had always seemed friendly and pleasant and extraordinarily accepting, especially of Naruto. She treated him no different from any of her other friends, and he especially liked her for that.

He watched her small, grief-wracked frame shake with each sob as she tried to contain it. The white aura rising from the spot on her cheek caught his eye again. It was just there, barely strong enough to be visible, but Naruto could see the gauzy white film that hovered above her jawline.

Without fulling thinking, he reached out and lifted her chin up. She stared at him, eyes glassy from tears, trembling slightly. He saw the light blue tinge on her right cheek. He could also see the fear in her pale eyes. _'Is she remembering something? Why is she so afraid of me? Did her father actually hurt her?'_

Naruto knew all too well that when someone was emotionally or physically hurt by someone they loved, they became afraid of that person, fearing all contact with them. They tended to avoid all physical contact with anyone, as it further reminded them of the injury.

Hinata opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. The kunoichi was shaking even worse than before. Her eyes were wide, although Naruto could see that she was trying to overcome her fear for the sake of him.

"This won't hurt." he said reassuringly.

With his left pointer and middle fingers side-by-side, he concentrated on drawing up some healing chakra. Although medical treatment was mostly left to kunoichi, as female ninja often had smaller chakra reserves which made it easier to control their chakra, Itachi-sensei had felt it was necessary to teach him a few healing techniques to use on himself. _'I've had plenty of chances to improve them in the past.' _he thought bitterly.

The green chakra came easily, forming at the tips of his fingers in a few seconds. Oddly, he felt a jolt of the red chakra stemming from the kyuubi shoot into the energy, turning it just a bit darker. _'What in the hell?Why would Kyuubi help me?' _

**'I don't have to answer that question. You would have asked me anyways, once you learned that just your chakra wouldn't work.'**

Naruto ignored the fox's reply and returned his attention to Hinata.

Carefully, he placed his fingers just above where the white aura diffused slowly into the chilly night air. The chakra flickered for a moment and Naruto could feel strong resistance before being absorbed into Hinata's chakra system. The pale blue marking on her cheek faded away, healed by Naruto's chakra. He sat back, puzzled. Then realization dawned on him, and he knew what had happened.

"Hinata. Tell me what happened." he said, although he already knew. A fresh wave of hot anger aimed at the head of the Hyuga Clan sliced through him, but he forced it down so he could confirm his suspicions.

The blond genin put his hand down and backed away again, giving Hinata some space to calm down in. Fear was an emotion he knew as some people know a best friend.

"My father hates me...I'm not worth anything to him..."she started softly, letting her voice trail off at the end.

"He...hit me. And did something with his hand so I couldn't heal...I think he blocked off the chakra points there so that my body would reject my own chakra...so I couldn't heal myself...someone would have to...thank you, Naruto."

"Then your father apparently doesn't know what "worth" means. You are always kind to everyone, no matter if they've been mean to you in the past. You love helping people, Hinata. You are worth more than your father could ever know." Naruto responded gently.

She looked at him, a pink blush rising steadily on her cheeks at the compliment.

"Thank you, Naruto. That means...so much to me." the lavender-eyed kunoichi spoke softly.

"You don't need to thank me for what's obviously true. Your father doesn't know much about you at all, Hinata." he said seriously.

Hinata watched him reverently. Something about Naruto seemed so different, especially tonight when they were talking alone. _'Maybe...' _she thought. _'Maybe I don't know you very well either, Naruto.'_

She was snapped out of her thoughts when a sudden overwhelming wave of blue chakra flooded over her. She shivered at the icy feel of it. It seemed so...dark...twisted. It was then she noticed that it was coming from Naruto.

The blond-haired genin was bent double, holding his stomach and squeezing his eyes shut tightly.

**'Tell her Naruto.'**

**'Ow...what the hell? What are you doing, Kyuubi? That hurts.'**

**'Show her the Sharingan. I am asking you to trust me.'**

**'And why should I?' **Naruto asked as another wave of chakra burst from his body, this time tinted with red.

**'Because if you don't, I'll keep doing this.'**

**_'I really don't want to hurt you, Naruto. I'm only doing this for your own good. You need a real friend. Someone you can trust.'_**

**'Okay. Okay. Just stop!!'**

"Naruto! What's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked, frightened by the intensity of the chakra that poured off of Naruto.

A final wave of chakra flared out from his body, turning completely red before it dissipated into the sky. Naruto lay sprawled out on the grass. His breath came in sharp, panting gasps, but he steadied his breathing out quickly.

"I'm...alright." he said finally, still slightly breathless from the ordeal. "I'm going to tell you a secret, Hinata. Promise me you won't tell a living soul...or a dead one." he added at the end, giving a faint smile.

"I won't tell anyone." she said, answering his unspoken question. She knew he trusted her and she refused to let him down.

Naruto took a few more breaths before he felt ready enough to talk. Even before he spoke, he scanned the area to make sure they were completely alone.

"Hinata. Could you use your Byakugan to make sure I didn't miss anything?"

Hinata nodded, hiding her slight surprise at his question _'Whatever he is about to tell me must be very important. But it doesn't matter. He doesn't want anyone else to overhear his secret.' _She made some hand signs easily and activated her Byakugan. Her powerful eyes scanned over the area, sensing the chakra of everything moving within the forest.

"Only animals. No one is here." she said and deactivated her Kekkei Genkai.

Reassured, he began to talk. "On Saturday, two days from now, I'm leaving Konoha. I'm going to train under someone for a long time, at least until the chunin exams arrive, which won't happen until more than a year from now. That someone, the person who I'm training under, is Itachi Uchiha." he stopped, unsure if he should go into detail about his blood-line trait and how Itachi was framed.

Naruto watched Hinata carefully, waiting to gauge her reaction to this information. She blinked, digesting the information.

"You mean Sasuke's older brother. I...didn't he...destroy the entire Uchiha Clan except for Sasuke?" she questioned at last.

"He was framed." Naruto said simply. He didn't know how to prove if his former and soon-to-be sensei was lying, but he knew, somehow he knew, that what Itachi had told him the night before was the truth.

Hinata nodded, and then frowned slightly. "Why Itachi?"

The genin tensed slightly, trying to decide if he should reveal anymore information. He made up his mind and chose to tell her. _'I know Hinata will keep my secret. It won't hurt. Besides, I'll be out of here soon, and by then, I'll have other things to worry about.'_

"I have a bloodline trait and I need to learn how to be able to use it in battles."

Her brow was furrowed slightly in confusion, but she nodded, silently asking him to go on. Naruto took a deep breath.

"I'll show you." he said, his voice a little higher-pitched than normal.

He was nervous. No, that was an understatement. He was downright terrified of what he was about to do. Never, ever had he revealed his Sharingan to someone other than Itachi.

He reached up towards his left eye with one hand, only to see that it was shaking. _'Get a grip, Naruto.' _he thought. He glared at his hand as though he thought it would obey him. He inhaled deeply and steadied his hand. Slowly, ever so slowly, he removed his contacts, and slowly, ever so slowly, he gazed at Hinata.

She appeared surprised, but only genuinely so. And she didn't appear to be the least bit afraid of him.

Hinata stared at Naruto's eyes. They were dark red and in the moonlight, she could just make out two tomoes(1) in each eye, _'The Sharingan...Sasuke has the Sharingan..How...how can Naruto have that bloodline trait as well?' _

"How?" she asked simply.

"My mother...was from the Uchiha Clan. I'm guessing that after my father died sealing the nine-tailed-fox inside me...that its chakra awakened my blood-line trait...which would probably have remained dormant otherwise. Normally, the Uchiha Clan reproduces within itself to keep the blood line pure...but my father didn't care when he found out about my mother's ability. He still loved her, and they still had me..." he finished.

Hinata detected the hint of sorrow in his voice, but she was also shocked, though she made sure not show it. She hadn't thought that Naruto was aware of the fox demon spirit sealed inside him. Apparently, appearances were deceiving, and that meant that Naruto had hidden his true self away under a loud, outgoing, extroverted personality. That also meant that Naruto had managed to fool all of the Village Hidden in the Leaves...for his entire life.

"We can talk to each other...Kyuubi and I... Its different from the way normal people converse with each other, but we are aware of each other. You aren't...afraid of me, are you?" Naruto bit his tongue nervously.

She mentally replayed his words in her head, stopping at the part where he mentioned he was leaving. _'If he leaves...I won't get to see him for a long time...maybe even never. Maybe...maybe I could...'_

Naruto remained quiet, noting that Hinata looked like she was deep in thought. He also was, but for an entirely different reason. _'When I took off my contacts, I felt my chakra balance out. Its completely stable now...well, as stable as it can get when I've got a fox demon sealed inside me.' _

"Naruto?"

The genin turned towards the lavender-eyed girl who called him.

"Yes?"

"I could never hate you, Naruto. Never. Having the fox spirit sealed inside you doesn't change the person you are now. And...Um...I..." she paused, trying to find the right words. "What I mean is...can I...Do you think that I can... I go with you, Naruto, and train to become stronger?...Oh, that was a stupid question. Never mind that, Naruto. I'm sorry!" the last of her words poured out in a rapid stream so fast that Naruto almost couldn't understand them.

But he heard her question, and he heard the painful desperation in her voice. _'If she stays here, then her father might hurt her again. If she comes with me...then she can train under Itachi-sensei...and she can prove herself...What should I...'_

"It isn't a stupid question, Hinata-chan. You can come with me, but are you sure you want to go?"

Hinata blushed at the suffix added to the end of her name.

"I want to do it." she confirmed, smiling for the first time that night.

**Omygosh...wow. This rewritten version is 10 pages long. O.o. I tried to keep Hinata as in-character as I could. I really did, but I readily admit I'm not the best when it comes to things like that. I know there is room for improvement. From now on, I'm going to try and write chapters similar to this length, which of course means that I might not be updating as often as I have been. I wouldn't worry too much though. I've got a lot of free time on my hands. Thanks for reading!! -Bottlecaps**


	9. A Run Down Memory Lane

**I never expected my update to be so late. Oh well, at least it's here and posted for you all to read. This is an extremely important chapter, and I'm not saying this because its mostly about Itachi. It is important because it explains more about Itachi's and Sasuke's past, and, well...if I say any more, I'll ruin it! And also, I'll be using the English version of jutsu and such, because I don't know otherwise. I prefer the Japanese versions because they sound cooler, but I don't know any, so I have to stick with what I know so I don't sound like a not-smart person. Remember that this _is _an AU fanfic. Itachi is going to sound a lot like Sasuke in this chapter. Hope you like it because I worked really hard to write it. By the way, this chapter is for narutofan445.**

**Alright. A thank you goes out to: sunny-rain, Dragon Man 180, Arganaut, Isthisparadise, DaisyAnimeLuvr, narutofan445 ( your eagerness makes me so happy) and Tsumetai Taiyoukai. You all are such wonderful reviewers!!**

**Hope Master: Yes. The fourth Hokage is still Naruto's father. Thankies for the many reviews.**

**Lorei: I've already decided the pairing for this. If there is anyone else you want to pair Ino with, email me so that I can write it in this story. I hope you'll continue to read my fanfic. **

**Disclaimer: I own this fan fiction! Ha-ha-ha. But sadly...not Naruto.**

**Chapter 9: A Run Down Memory Lane**

Kakashi walked down the street, hands in his pockets, jonin vest flapping open in the chilly night breeze. He stepped lightly; only the faintest tap issued from where his blue ninja sandals met the cobblestone road.

He sighed, his breath coming out in small misty plumes, and jammed his hands deeper into his black pants. _'Why the hell is it so cold already? Its only just nearing the end of July. Come to think of it, the nights have been unusually cold considering that its near the summer season. A hot shower sounds great. And maybe some hot cocoa too...' _

The silver-haired jonin increased his speed at the thought of the warm drink, moving almost faster than the eye could see. He wasn't called the Copy-ninja for nothing. Despite the cold wind that stung his skin as he ran, he continued onwards until he reached the front door of his living quarters.

He pushed the door open and quickly shut it against the frigid night air. Shrugging off his vest, he threw the sturdy tan object on the worn leather couch the color of coffee with milk. The place had an air of bleak starkness around it, though it was obvious that Kakashi had attempted to make the place appear a little more homely.

Midnight blue curtains adorned the window behind his couch, which remained closed, no matter what time of day. A single picture frame hung on the wall in front of him. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stared back at him from the photograph. It was hard not to see the grin on Naruto's face; it seemed to light up the whole picture, nor was it hard to see Sakura's confident smile and Sasuke's usual bored expression.

To the right of the picture, a door led to his bedroom, which was hardly ever used. Most nights he was so tired, he just ended up sleeping on the couch. Training almost every day with Team 7 was proving to be more taxing than he originally thought. Still, the irresitable challenge proved to be too much for Kakashi, and he enjoyed seeing a little bit of his former team-mates from his ANBU days in each of his pupils.

Naruto was so much like Obito Uchiha. Driven, focused, bright, and outgoing, Naruto strived for everything he wanted, and never felt uneasy speaking his mind. He could see all of Rin in Sakura Haruno; caring, stubborn at times, and her compassion for animals and life were just a few things he remembered about her. Sasuke, well, he was most similar to Kakashi himself at his age. A prodigy, the victim of a tragedy, and wrapped up in layers of self-isolation, though Sasuke preferred to think of himself as a loner by nature.

The living room opened up to the left of him with only a stained circular coffee table and pale cream-colored carpeting that matched the shades and leather couch. There was a small, ancient looking television set that showed only black and white pictures and had no sound at all.

Kakashi repressed a shiver instinctively and walked to the closet in his room. After slipping on a thick navy blue cotton sweatshirt that loosely hugged his body, he flicked on the lights in his kitchen, bathing the room in a soft yellow glow. He set a pot of milk on the stove to warm and glanced at the tiny clock above the stove burners.

The red digital numbers read 10:15. _'Earlier than I thought. Maybe Naruto is still awake. He doesn't seem like the type to turn in early. I could call and see if he wants to come over for some hot cocoa. Perhaps I can learn what was bothering him yesterday. I've never seen him so moody before, even when Sasuke sets him off.'_

Kakashi turned the burner down a bit to prevent the milk from heating too quickly and grabbed the cordless phone from its charger on the smooth blue-tiled counter top. He pressed the 'talk' button and dialed Naruto's telephone number. He cradled the phone against his ear with his shoulder while bending down to retrieve some chocolate powder from a small cabinet to the left of the stove.

"We are sorry. The number you are currently trying to reach has been disconnected or is no longer in service. If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again." an automated voice issued from the speaker.

He shrugged and returned the phone to its charger. _'Why does it always say that whenever I try to call him. I wonder if...no...it couldn't be. No way. He would tell me if something like that was going on...' _

The jonin brushed it off as mere coincidence and turned his attention back to the milk. He shut the burner off and poured the frothy liquid into a plain white coffee cup. He then dumped two heaping tablespoons of cocoa powder into the cup and stirred carefully. The fragrant scent of warm chocolate washed over him as he held the steaming mug to his lips and took a sip.

Kakashi carefully placed the mug on his stained coffee table, flicked on the silent television, and pulled out the newest book of Icha Icha Paradise from his back pocket. He paged through the pink-covered novel, found his page, and read away into the night.

"It's getting kind of late, Hinata-chan. I...you don't want to go home, do you?" Naruto asked as he stood up and stretched in the pale moonlight.

The lavender-eyed girl shook her head back and forth slowly, a faint blush dusting her cheeks at the concern she heard in his voice.

"I...I don't h-have a choice. I-if I go, then my father would surely suspect something. I'm scared, Naruto." she admitted softly, mere decibels above a whisper.

She hung her head, ashamed of confessing her fear in front of the one person she wanted to be strong for. _'Naruto really needs my help right now and I'm the only one who can help him. I have to be brave...but I can't...'_

Hinata felt a warm hand slip into her own and squeeze tightly before letting go.

"It'll be okay, Hinata-chan. It'll be okay. Go home and try to catch some sleep. You'll need it. Meet me near the edge of the Konoha forest early Saturday morning, and don't be seen by anyone if you can help it. We'll need to leave before anyone is awake. Thanks...for everything."Naruto said seriously.

He reached out and gave her hand another squeeze, softer this time, and more comforting, before speeding off into the night. Hinata hugged her hand to her chest, feeling her heartbeat pulsing rapidly. With thoughts of her crush's kindness in her mind, she began to walk slowly towards her own home.

Naruto waited until he was safely near his own destination, home before permitting himself to blush. He couldn't believe what he had just done; showing Hinata his Sharingan and holding her hand. _Holding _her hand. _Hinata's _hand. It didn't matter that his body acted on its own accord. What mattered was what he had said, telling her it was alright to come with him without considering Itachi's reactions.

The blond-haired genin pushed the more somber thoughts of the consequences he was going to possibly suffer to the back of his mind and instead focused on the tight, slightly giddy feeling in his chest. His skin still tingled from where it made contact with Hinata. The comforting warmth that he drew from her hug lingered slightly throughout his body.

Naruto smiled, a true, genuine smile, and although small, he felt happier than he had in a long time. Not since Iruka-sensei had tied his own Konoha forehead protector around his head when he was 13, telling him that he passed and was now officially a genin.

Still light-headed with happiness, he made a running leap from his place and landed on the balcony outside his apartment window. From there he jumped to his door, opened it, and promptly reached to flick on the lights. There was a sharp click, then nothing. He tried again with the same results.

"Damn power." he swore out loud. " The electricity company shut it off already? I thought the notice said I had until Sunday. It figures they would do something like that."

The event had effectively ruined his good mood. After his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he ran a comb through his messy blond hair, brushed his teeth, and grabbed a pair of clean black boxer shorts, all of which were a little more difficult than he was used to because there was no light. He slipped them on after taking off his black pants and started to unzip his jacket when he stopped, a subtle scent catching his attention.

He held the black cloth close to his nose and inhaled slightly. Cinnamon and roses; it smelled like Hinata. He breathed in again, this time shutting his eyes so he could see her face. His solid black shirt underneath carried the exact same scent. Naruto changed his mind about the jacket and shirt and left them on.

Yawning tiredly, he threw himself on his bed without bothering to burrow under the covers. He fell asleep quickly, ridiculously dressed in boxer shorts and a jacket.

Itachi Uchiha moved silently through the dark forest, taking care to cover his tracks with many genjutsus and dispel all traces of his chakra from the area. He was all too aware of the risks incited being near the outer regions of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. There was no doubt in his mind that Konoha ANBU would come after him if they knew of his current whereabouts, and if they did come, he would kill them. It was a necessary evil. He had to survive for several reasons: to avenge his Clan, to train the child he abandoned nine years ago, when the kid was only seven, and maybe, just maybe, to reconcile with his younger brother Sasuke.

It didn't matter to Itachi if Sasuke still hated him. He wanted Sasuke to know the truth, that he had not been responsible for the slaughtering of his entire clan. Betrayal was an unthinkable action in the Uchiha Clan. Trust was the foundation that held their clan together while others dealt with wars and violence. He had been framed by an S-Class missing-nin known as Orochimaru.

_'Bastard..' _Itachi thought bitterly before flying through hands seals and unleashing a genjutsu to make his chakra blend in with the four elements. He remembered the night of his Clan's destruction as though it had been imprinted firmly in his mind. More correctly though, it was.

_Flashback...3rd person POV_

"_Onii-chan, why do you keep looking away into the forest? You promised you would help me train today since its my birthday." Sasuke whined and tugged his brother's pant leg._

_Itachi looked down at his little brother and smiled._

"_I know. I know. I've already shown you some tips for aiming and throwing shuriken and two new jutsu. You can't do them just yet, but you'll know how when your older. Now quit whining, silly. You're acting like a child." he said teasingly._

"_I am not a child. I'm six years old today." Sasuke pouted and crossed his arms, looking quite the opposite of his denial. He glared from beneath his dark bangs, which hung in his face since they were too long and he refused to have them cut. He idolized Itachi and wanted to look exactly like his older brother when he grew up._

"_Six years old, huh? I thought you were five." Itachi ruffled his hair affectionately._

"_'Tachi..." the younger boy groaned, using the nickname Itachi pretended to dislike. He didn't know that, of course. The older boy only humored it to make his little brother happy._

_But Sasuke's words fell only on deaf ears; Itachi wasn't looking at him, but was instead gazing off into the forest, Sharingan activated, scanning for signs of movement. He caught a flicker in his peripheral vision and he turned to investigate. From deep within the foliage, two glowing crimson eyes met his sight._

_A cold bead of sweat slid down his back like an icy finger, numbing the flesh it touched as it fell. Itachi was suddenly aware of his heart beating faster and faster, drowning out any other noise he might have heard. The deafening roar of blood pounded in his ears. He very nearly flinched when Sasuke grabbed his arm._

"_Don't do that, Sasuke!" he said, rattled, and pulled his arm away sharply._

_His brother's dark eyes turned glossy with tears at the harsh voice and he turned and ran. Itachi's hand shot outward quickly as if he could pull the little boy back, but he dropped it and watched the dying sunlight drape over Sasuke's retreating form. Regret swept through him, bringing anger with it. _

_'It's his birthday, damn it, and you had to go and make him cry. What's wrong with you, Itachi?' a little voice chided in his head._

_Itachi ignored it, remembering the eerie scarlet orbs that attracted his attention. With one final glance to make sure no one was watching, he teleported himself into the Black Forest that surrounded the clan village._

"_Show yourself. What do you want?" Itachi demanded, his voice taking on a new tone of iciness._

_An amused chuckle emerged from somewhere to his left. He looked, activating the bloodline trait his clan was well-recognized...and well-feared for as well. Sharingan wheels spinning, he searched the area where the noise came from._

"_A prodigy, hm? Interesting. You look only thirteen at best, yet you are already highly skilled. I can tell by your stance and the way you carry yourself. You already possess the fully developed Sharingan. Very impressive...but I wonder. How would you measure up to me?"_

_Itachi watched as a gaunt, sinister-looking man seemed to form out of the shady pools cast by the giant coniferous trees. His cheeks were hollow, his skin sickly pale, and the clothes he wore looked strange to the teenager._

_A tan piece of cloth, similar to a shirt, wrapped around his torso and arms, and hung down loosely near his knees. Two slits traveled up each side, ending mid-thigh and allowing for a greater range of movement as well as weapon concealment. A royal purple obi secured the clothing in place. folded black pants stopped a few inches below the knee and were then encompassed by bandages. Strange sandals that looked like they were made of woven straw adorned his feet. _

_What scared the Uchiha, though he would never admit it, were the eyes. The man's irises were a vivid amber yellow and his pupils were pure black snake slits. They gave him a feral, insane look that matched perfectly with the dark chuckle that escaped his pallid lips. _

_Itachi readied himself in a defensive fighting stance, legs spread apart slightly and at an angle, left arm brought up to block any blows while the right remained bent firmly into a low fist at his side._

_The defensive position was all he had time for, because the instant he looked up, the man was gone. The tomoes in his Sharingan eyes spun quickly, enhancing his vision and clarity. Even so, he only just managed to dodge the first punch._

_He gave his body a dexterous twist and landed on his feet in a crouch, sliding backwards a few feet away from the village. He saw that the man's fist did not make any contact with the ground. Instead it hovered inches above it, fingertips outstretched loosely. A laugh that was all but pleasant issued from his mouth._

_'It's like he has complete control over his entire body. How can he do it? Even I wouldn't have been able to stop my blow with such momentum.'_

_Itachi growled, gritted his teeth, and started to form more hand seals when the man darted right in front of his face._

"_Catch me if you can." he whispered, his long tongue coming out to lick his lips. He teleported himself to a low-hanging tree branch five yards away fron the Uchiha._

_Repressing a shiver instinctively, Itachi remembered the village behind him. He knew that if their battle created too much noise, others would come to investigate, which would mean putting other's lives in danger. He refused to let Sasuke be harmed in any way._

_He ran, his footsteps cushioned by the soft forest grass, watching the man's face and dually aware of the length between himself and the village._

_'I have to get farther away before sundown. Then I can deal with this creep.' he thought, determined to let no harm come to his village, especially where his family was concerned._

_The man showed no expression save for a small, amused smirk on his face, and a malicious glint in his eyes that Itachi could not read. It continued on like this for half an hour. He would stand calmly on a tree-branch until Itachi nearly reached him, and then he would teleport himself to another location not far from his former one._

_Occasionally he would launch a blow or two, nothing serious, only just striking above or below major vital spots. A bored look crossed his face, but underneath he grinned. He could see the smoldering look in the other's eyes. He knew at last that he was getting under Itachi's skin._

_'Good.' he thought. 'Let's rile him up some more.'_

"_Is that all you've got. Pathetic. I bet even your little brother could have at least landed a hit or two. He has talent, you know. He might even be stronger than you."_

"_Quit toying with me! And leave Sasuke out of this!" Itachi growled, jumping back to avoid a sharp senbon needle sent from the other. It missed his stabbed into the tree behind him with a dull "thunk"._

_He landed on the ground, panting, sweat sticking his long black hair to the sides of his face. The older man was faster than he had anticipated, much faster, and even with the Sharingan it was difficult to keep up. He didn't like the situation at all. Something about the man seemed more frightening and mysterious than he could place._

"_Sssssasuke, hmm. Ssso that's hisss name..." the man mused, hissing out the words like a snake might hiss out a predatorial warning. A deep chuckle rumbled forth from his pale lips._

"_Shut up!" Itachi yelled. His patience had reached it's limit. He charged forth, but instead of letting blind rage take over, he used it to move his body faster, smoother, and deadlier._

_He faked left, then right, disappearing and reappearing in different spots around the man. In the midst of his running, he murmured "Shadow Clone jutsu" silently. Four shadow clones appeared, seeming as though they came from nowhere. They ran, not breaking the weaving pattern that their creator made around the man._

"_Interesting. You don't need hand-signs for jutsu. No matter. It is time to end this foolish nonsense!" the dark-haired missing-nin said._

_He bent over backwards, using chakra to stick to the tree, effortlessly dodging a barrage of exploding kunai. Flashes of fire and smoke issued behind him, but they were swept away by the night wind. With four senbon needles precisely aimed at the heart area, he dispatched the shadow clones without a second glance. Only Itachi remained, coming to a halt on a tree behind the older man._

_'What? How was he able to do that? No one has ever been able to destroy my clones so quickly. They can take damage and give it as well. How is he doing this? How did he know which one was me?' Itachi thought._

_He was frustrated, to say the least. He had plenty of chakra left, but little stamina. Perspiration streamed down his face; an hour's result of near non-stop movement. A small cut on his cheek burned sharply when a bead of sweat rolled over it._

_Itachi let his concentration slip for a second, but it was all that the older man needed. A malicious grin planted itself on his face. He gathered his chakra and..._

"_Hidden Shadow Snakes Hand."_

_A blow sturck him so hard in the face, he didn't even know he had been hit until after he landed, back first, against a tree. He crumpled to the base of the trunk, feeling paralying pain run from his cheek down in shooting jabs._

"_What the...what in the...hell?" Itachi asked. He tried to sit up and failed._

_It felt like someone had poured acid into his blood and it was burning the insides of his veins. A fire raced through his body, bringing it further and further into his system. He started to lose sensation in his muscles. They were going numb._

"_Poison. Don't worry. If you're lucky, the venom won't be lethal enough to kill you for another hour or so, so you have plenty of time to think about just how much you've screwed up. Now I've got business to attend to, Itachi Uchiha, and I'm sure you'll want some private time before it gets so painful that you'll start screaming every time you breath. By the way, my name is Orochimaru. You might want to remember it, if you survive, that is. I am your worst nightmare." _

_Yellow snake eyes met dull scarlet orbs, clouded by fever and pain. The last thing Itachi remembered before falling unconscious was watching a henge(1) of himself disappear through the trees, evil laughter drifting upwards toward him._

_'Sasuke...'_

_After Itachi had woken up alone in the forest in the middle of the night, the first thing he became aware of was the sound of screaming. He staggered to his feet, toxin still pumping through his veins, though the intensity had diminished from burning acid to cold numbness, and made his way towards the village, retracing the path he had taken. The scars from his previous battle with Orochimaru littered the forest; grass bent permanently from pressure, some places with no grass at all, senbon or shuriken embedded in thick tree trunks, and small droplets of blood belonging to Itachi when he had been injured and not noticed._

_The poison still clouded his vision, occasionally causing him to stumble into something. He tripped once, feeling his burning cheek rest against the cool forest grass. He winced as he touched the injury with one area, tracing a pale finger around the two puncture wounds. The skin around them was red and inflamed, he was sure of it. The swelling hadn't gone down at all since his return to the conscious world._

_Ignoring the pain to his best capabilities, he continued onwards. By the time he reached his village, the screaming had stopped. Only thick, heavy silence remained, so oppressive it nearly cut off all of his senses. Overhead, a thin crescent moon burned brightly in the middle of the night-darkened sky._

_Something dragged at Itachi's attention. It was too quiet. No sounds came from the Uchiha Clan village. It was as if the entire place had been abandoned. He felt something he had never felt so strongly before in his entire life: fear. Terror settled in his stomach like an enormous block of ice. Steeling his nerves, he entered the head of his home. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight._

_The stench of blood and death overwhelmed him. He wanted to gag. Bodies were strewn haphazardly across the ground, dark pools surrounding each of them. Some of the corpses had missing limbs, most of which were found a few yards away. Homes had been ravaged, torn apart by explosives, kunai, senbon, and shuriken. The metal weapons gleamed dully, giving off eerie mercurial glows in the translucent moonlight. _

_He couldn't handle it any more. Bending over, he retched violently onto the ground, his stomach emptying itself of all contents. The sound of vomit splashing wetly beneath him only made it worse. Finally, he gave two more dry heaves, and stood up, wiping his mouth with one of his long black shirt sleeves. He winced at the rancid taste in his mouth, spitting once, but it didn't help. _

_Somehow he managed to go on, footsteps slow and unsure. He checked the vital signs of all the bodies, even though he knew it wasn't necessary. It was obvious to him that it had been a surprise attack. There was no evidence of an intense battle. His shinobi skills, combined with his intelligence, were all he needed to tell that it had been nothing more than a swift, brutal massacre._

"_I...Ita...chi?"_

_Itachi turned, hearing a weak voice call his name. His sharp eyes scanned the area, all senses open for any sound or movement._

"_I...tachi?Come...co...here..."_

"_Mom!" he cried out, startling himself in the process. He saw her on the ground, lying so still it didn't seem like she was alive._

_He ran towards her, was there in three steps. Her long black hair spilled out behind her on the dirt, her face ashen, her lips pale blue; to Itachi she looked like Death's reincarnate. Her eyes were closed as he knelt down beside her, but she opened them again when he touched her hand._

"_Mother?" he whimpered, sounding more vulnerable then he'd ever sounded before. _

_Soft black eyes stared back at him, full of desperation and despair. Itachi was shocked to see the vibrant life in his mother's eyes replaced by only a sad confusion._

"_Why...I...tachi..?" her voice was low and weak. Itachi had to strain to hear it._

"_Why what, Mother? I didn't do anything. I didn't do this!" his words were shaky, barely on the edge of hysteria._

"_Some..one...looked like you...came here...killed..." she paused, panting from the effort, and then continued. "I know...you'd never...take care of Sasuke...only one left."_

_His mother's eyes closed, fluttered open, and watched her oldest son try in vain not to cry. It was then that he saw the kunai embedded deeply into her chest. Her outfit was stained darkly with blood. A strangled sob escaped from his mouth, bringing a flood of tears with him. _

_Abruptly, he stopped. Something inside him had snapped. Anger poured off him in silent waves, radiating powerful killer intent. When he finished wiping his eyes, his pale face was blank, devoid of any emotions at all. _

_His entire Clan had been destroyed, and it came to him suddenly, that he knew it could have only been one person. Orochimaru._

"_I understand, Mother. Don't worry. I'll take care of everything." his words were so firm, laced with vicious, bitter contempt._

"_...sha...shar...man.." she tried to speak but her lips couldn't form the words she needed to say. She knew her body was shutting down, and that soon she would be among the dead. She attempted to convey the words once more, but failed. Her fingers made a weak movement upwards, gesturing him to lean closer. He obeyed, leaning over until some of his hair brushed against his mother's face._

"_I love you, Itachi...tell Sasuke." Itachi's mother closed her eyes, her final breath spent. She opened her black eyes again, permanently. They were dull and lifeless. His mother was dead._

"_I promise, mother. I promise." he said._

_He reached out a hand, shocked to see that it wasn't shaking, and gently caressed his mother's face. It was still warm, but cooling rapidly in the night. The young chunin stood up resolutely and left his mother's broken body behind. _

_The chilly night air met his skin and he relished in the cool feeling it gave him. He realized that several other places seemed colder than others and looked down. His outfit was drenched in blood in several places but knees were the worst. He hadn't noticed at the time that while hearing his mother's dying words, he had been sitting in a pool of her own blood._

_The smell of decay was starting to get worse. Some of the corpses were bloated, others turning shades of grayish green. Seeing them all again made him want to be sick, but he repressed the urge. By sunrise, the putrid odor would be unbearable, overwhelming, like a toxic gas. He knew what he had to do._

_With a slightly sick feeling in his gut, as though the ice cube of fear hadn't fully dissolved, he walked to the back of his village and moved forwards. He continued the inspection of the mangled bodies of his former Clan. No emotions rushed at him head-on when he found the dead body of his father. Instead he moved on, a cold, calculating glare in his eyes._

_As he had suspected, there was no life to be found. Only his mother's spirit had been able to hold on long enough for him to return home, and then she had slipped away. There was no sign of his little brother. He hadn't seen or felt anything that could link him to the child._

_When he reached the head of his village, he turned around once more towards the devastation. He didn't need any hand seals for what he was about to do. That instant...right after his mother passed from the world of the living to the world of the dead...he had understood his mother's words. The truth about the Mangekyo Sharingan._

_He directed his chakra to his eyes. A strange new power surged through his body in an exhilarating rush. He could feel his pupils dilate, tomoes spinning faster and faster, morphing into the Mangekyo Sharingan. There was pain but he barely felt it through the change._

_Though he'd previously activated his Sharingan, his vision seemed to warp into yet more clarity. As gruesome as the details of his wrecked home were, he could see the blood that painted the walls and the ninja tools gleamed wickedly in the moonlight. Sensing the change was complete, he knew what he had to do. _

_'This jutsu...will burn through anything. It will destroy all evidence of this village. It will prevent anyone from escaping with the secrets held in this village.'_

"_Amaterasu!" he aimed his newly formed Mangekyo Sharingan towards his former home._

_Fire snapped to life in the heart of the village from the voice activation of the ninjutsu. The bright crimson flames caught and spread quickly. The tongues of fire reached up to lick the sky. The sight was one of beauty, but one of immense grief as well. He turned away, suddenly released from the numb grip of disbelief._

"_I-Itachi?" a child's voice echoed from behind him._

"_Sasuke!" Itachi knelt down on one knee. He felt the tears in his eyes, but he did not let them fall. He couldn't break down in front of his brother. He held out his arms in an invitation for a hug._

"_You...killed them! You killed them all! Why'd you do it? Why'd you do it, Itachi?!" the accusation sprung forth from Sasuke's mouth, catching the older boy off-guard._

"_What? Sasuke...no! You can't possibly think I would have done that." he replied, gesturing to the burning buildings behind him._

"_You told me yourself. You said you wanted the..the...You aren't my brother." Sasuke declared._

_His words cut Itachi to the bone._

"_No...Sasuke...No. It wasn't me! It wasn't me!" he pleaded._

_Itachi then remembered that he was covered in his mother's blood. He could only guess what was going on in his little brother's head. _

"_It was someone who looked like me. It was Orochimaru!" Itachi said at last, grasping the truth firmly and displaying it to the crying child before him. He had to explain it to Sasuke. He had to make the last remaining member of his family understand. _

_Tears fell freely from large black eyes. Sasuke looked at his older brother, his expression one of disbelief. Itachi approached him steadily, his movements slow and steady._

"_Get away from me!" the younger boy said._

_He backed away several steps and fell, but he dug his feet into the ground and tried to back up more. His cheeks were red from crying and his face and clothes were streaked with dirt. Itachi could see a a small, dark stain on Sasuke's left shoulder. His Sharingan eyes honed in on it. He could just make out the tip of a miniature senbon needle. He figured the rest of it must be buried inside the little boy's shoulder._

_A cry of pain emerged from the child's mouth; a pitiful scream that made Itachi's ears ring. Then he slumped onto the ground, unconscious. Itachi ran forward and dropped to one knee to check on his little brother._

_He pressed a palm above the boy's heart and felt it beating rapidly, even though he was unconscious. His breathing was uneven, shallow, and he was concerned. He wondered if the needle had been infused with some type of poison._

_Miniature weapons were often made that way, created with a special type of metal that could be mixed with liquid toxins before the forging process. The most common was just a paralyzer that affected the unlucky victim for twenty-four to -forty-eight hours, sending them into a semi-catatonic state. He knew that more possibilities existed, but he didn't want to think about that at the moment._

_Carefully picking up his brother's featherweight body, he sped off full-force to the nearest village he could think of: Konoha._

_Itachi slipped easily past the chunin guards posted outside the entrance gate to the village. The village security was getting lax, he decided, but he felt that Sasuke would be able to recover from his ordeal safely._

_He quickly found the hospital and threw open the door. It hit the wall with a loud thud, causing all noises to cease and all attention to be focused on him. _

"_Hey, young man! What do you think you are-" a male's deep voice said._

"_I don't have time for this. He doesn't have time for this!" Itachi said, shifting the bundle in his arms and stepping forwards. He placed the little boy in a nurse's arms._

"_Take care of little Sasuke. He's been through a lot. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you any more. I will pay you when I can, that much I promise. Please hurry and treat him. I think he might have poison in his system. Now I have to leave..."_

_The dark-haired chunin finished his sentence and promptly passed out cold on the floor. Ignoring the strange situation without speaking, more nurses and medic-nins clad in traditional white uniforms rushed into the room and whisked both unconscious children away for treatment._

_End Flashback.._

Itachi shook his head, clearing the cobwebs of memories from his mind. He realized with a start that it was less than an hour before dawn and he had passed the night away remembering his painful past. Sasuke had never learned the truth...had blamed him for everything...even his mother's death.

He couldn't blame Sasuke. He had only been six at the time and he was still a child, with all of a child's mind. He had been fooled by Orochimaru's disguise. It didn't help that the tragedy had occurred on his birthday, a day that should have been celebrated but was instead filled with renewed grief and raw emotion. Anger coursed through his veins, but he reined it in tightly.

A few days later he had woken up in the hospital. His room was empty, with the exception of his clothes, which sat, freshly laundered, on the wooden stand next to his bed. Sasuke had still been unconscious when he left before anyone could come in and see him.

It was an entire week later, spent entirely in hiding, when he learned of the nine-tailed-fox's defeat at the hands of the Yondaime. Most of what he heard was spoken in whispers, but his senses were almost infallible at his age, when he had been know among his clan as a prodigy. He was able to glean enough information from the local villagers without ever letting anyone know his identity.

Two weeks had passed, Sasuke had become a very haunted child, letting few people near him since his return to the conscious world, and a former ANBU member named Kakashi stated that he would oversee the boy's progress.

Kakashi took Sasuke under his wing, even allowing the little boy to live in his house. He trained the silent child, who also hadn't spoken since he woke up, and a short while later, enrolled him into the local ninja Academy.

Itachi knew it was best that he kept himself hidden from his little brother. It hurt worse than anything he'd ever known when he witnessed Sasuke crying out into the night from the shadows beyond his window. Sadness wrenched his heart in two, and more often then not, he felt like his beating heart had been torn from his body and trampled into a pulp until it no longer resembled a human organ.

To fill the hole that formed during the loss of his only surviving family member left, Itachi gained a new interest in the container of the Kyuubi, a boy called Uzamaki Naruto. Eventually he realized what he was doing, but he could do no more to stop himself than he could stop his own heart from beating.

He learned that laws had been created by the third Hokage, Sarutobi, against any communication of the events that had transpired three years back on October fourteenth. Information concerning the location of the child had been the most difficult to find. The truth eluded him for a while, but he never gave up and was rewarded with the facts.

Itachi was almost disappointed in how easy it was to steal into the top of the Hokage Tower and retrieve a squirming three-year-old with a shock of bright blond hair. Of course, the information about the container's disappearance eventually leaked out, but the reaction was anything but mournful.

In fact, the entire week was celebrated by all who knew of the events that transpired. The "demon filth" was gone from the village, and it was a celebration deemed worthy by nearly all of Konoha's population.

It made Itachi sick, seeing how much pure, if somewhat blind hatred, was directed at an innocent three-year-old whose worst possible crime was not sharing a crayon box, but even that was impossible because he had no one to share with in the first place. He had grown up with a little brother so caring for a toddler was nothing strange to him.

Later on, he had realized something about the boy. It was something familiar, he'd felt it before, but he couldn't place it. It was when Naruto had come to him at the age of six and told him that he realized that the boy held within him the legacy of the Uchiha Clan: the Sharingan.

The first signs of sunlight snapped Itachi out of his reminiscing and he increased his pace a ten-fold. Dawn was poking its first soft rays over the world and the black blanket that was night shifted slowly to make way for it.

_'Damn it... I need to stop remembering so much. I have Shizuka to look after now, and I need to prepare her for Naruto. If she's so sensitive to chakra the way she is now, then she'll probably be overwhelmed by the fox demon's chakra when he arrives.'_

Just before he reached his destination, he released two small bursts of chakra. He received one tiny flare in reply. It was the only way Shizuka was able to confirm his identity without becoming afraid. He slid one hand along a large, gray rock that protruded naturally from the earth until he found a switch he had added.

A hole opened up in the earth, shifting to reveal a dank staircase. He sighed and stepped onto the first stair, waiting for the ground to close up behind him. Only then did he continue his descent downwards to the rest of his hideout. _'I have so much work to do.'_

**1.Onii-chan- this means 'big brother' in Japanese.**

**2. Shizuka- If my translation is correct, which I believe it to be, then this name means "quiet" The details concerning the name will be elaborated later on. **

**Okay, everyone. And that's a wrap. I tried to fit all the explanation in here about Itachi and how Orochimaru framed him. Honestly, I think Itachi is pretty cool, and I can't stand to think of him as an evil person, which is why I sort of wrote this fan fic. I attempted to make it as clear and easy to understand as possible. And I thought the bit about the "truth" of gaining the Mangekyo Sharingan was cool. In case you might have missed it somehow, I'll explain. In my fan fiction, th Mangekyo Sharingan can only be activated by a person who has lost everything precious to him or her. Itachi lost his village and was framed, so he lost Sasuke's trust too. I think that was clear enough. I'll get to revising the next chapter.**


	10. Kakashi's Wierd Morning

**Man, this chapter was so hard to write, and I still don't like the way it came out. My computer kept crashing on my while I was typing, so I lost nearly half of this chapter several times. It really got on my nerves, but here it is. I'll go into more detail with Shizuka's background and why she's with Itachi soon, I promise. Itachi is sooo cool. Enough of my talk. To the story!!**

**Some clarifications**

**Itachi: 22: S-Rank missing-nin.**

**Sasuke:15: genin ( I'll explain this later. I had to increase his age in order to make the other age details involving Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi work out the way I wanted them to.)**

**Sakura:13: genin**

**Naruto: 12: genin**

**disclaimer: I don't own Naruto...but I want Itachi for my birthday present! Pwease... /makes cute chibi eyes/**

**Chapter 10 :Kakashi's Weird Morning. (Its sort of like an interlud and chapter in one. Inner Sakura's voice/thoughts, whatever you want to call them, will be in italics and bold faced: _'like this'_**

Kakashi woke up before dawn could give way to the bright sunlight of another day in Konoha. He groaned lazily and turned his back against the window, feeling the warm leather cushions of his couch conform to his new position. After a few minutes, he surrendered once more to blissful sleep.

The jonin had only been asleep for ten minutes when he rolled over again and met the floor with a thud. He opened one eye blearily and glared at the cream-colored carpeting in front of him. The black eye closed again and he dozed off.

The next time he rolled over, his head one leg of the coffee table. He lept to his feet, whipped a kunai out of his back pocket, and eyed his surroundings. Once he realized his mistake, he sighed and brought a hand to his smarting forehead. He could already feel the small knot forming against the gentle pressure of his palm. Letting out another sigh, this time allowing his body to relax with it, he straightened up and tucked his kunai away in one of the many pockets in his uniform jonin pants.

He flopped back down on the couch and closed his eyes, dozing off once more. He was jolted abruptly from his nap when a sharp object poked him in the butt. Yelping, he jumped up, tripped over one of his black ninja-grade sandals and landed face down on the floor.

_' Note to self: Never leave kunai in back pocket while sleeping where it can poke you in the butt. I'm finding it really hard to believe that I'm former ANBU...' _he thought and sighed mentally.

"Perhaps I'm getting old." he said to the soft carpet beneath him.

"Mm-hmm." he confirmed it. "Talking to yourself is one of the first tell-tale signs of growing senile. Then again, it could also mean I'm insane. Insane people don't read Icha Icha Paradise, do they? Jiraiya's not a raving lunatic and he actually writes the books...though he probably isn't too far from it, especially when it comes to spying on naked women...I've lost it...Rambling on and on to myself..." Kakashi shut his mouth and rolled over so that he was facing the ceiling of his living room.

"Coffee...Need...coffee."

The jonin lifted his head and turned to stare at his tiny red coffee pot sitting on the kitchen counter top. It sputtered into life, the timer beeping once before the wonderfully sweet aroma of coffee began wafting through the house. Kakashi thought he had never smelled anything so heavenly. Unfortunately, he surveyed the few feet of distance between his position on the floor and the coffee pot and let his head thump back against the carpet.

"No...it's too far away."

_'Damn...I really am getting lazy...but I don't want to get up. The carpet is so warm...and it'll be lonely if I get up.'_

Kakashi snorted at his ridiculous excuse and rolled to his side, momentarily forgetting about the coffee table to his left. A stream of foul words issued from his mouth as a hard, glossy cherrywood table leg clonked him on the same spot where he'd hit it earlier. Growling, he stood up and massaged his aching forehead.

He looked down at his rumpled clothes and remembered that he hadn't taken the time the night before to exchange his uniform for pajamas. Kakashi glanced over at his clock, which displayed 4:14 AM in flashy red numbers, and groaned. _'I might as well get my ass in gear. Today is Monday...no..Tuesday?'_

Kakashi mentally admonished himself for not keeping better track of time, though he was fully aware that chronic tardiness was, for him, a nearly impossible habit to break. Deep inside, he knew the reason why. It was entirely psychological of course, but he let it go, refusing to dredge up old memories and reopen ancient scars. Although, the Sharingan eye from Obito Uchiha was far from something he could ever forget whether he liked it or not.

Pushing the turbulent emotions aside, he concentrated on making the pain in his head go away. When he felt something wet on his hands, he wasn't surprised to pull back and see his fingertips slick with a small amount of blood.

He let loose a stream of curses as he pulled out a splinter the size of a quarter that had previously been embedded in his forehead. '_Ow...I knew I should have gotten that stupid thing fixed after Pakkun chewed it a while back.' _he thought. He groaned when he recognized the beginning of a caffeine head-ache pound its way into existence inside his skull. _'Band-aid...then coffee' _became his carefully composed mantra.

Kakashi found his way to the bathroom quickly in spite of the night-darkened room; he could find everything in his house even if he were blindfolded. The medic-kit under his sink proved to be useless. It contained sterile wound wrappings, antidotes for poisons and nerve toxins, panacea, needles, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and other miscellaneous items useful for small injuries, but nothing for a minor wound from a splinter. He replaced the medic-kit back it its position and continued looking for a box of band-aids.

He felt around for the small container until he found it and pulled it out. A neon green chibi frog with enormous eyeballs stared back at him brightly from the box in his hands. _' What in the hell. I think Naruto must have slipped these in here as a joke or something. I DON'T buy frog-covered band-aids. Still, it doesn't look like its going to stop bleeding for awhile, and leaving it exposed would just be stupid, so I guess it'll due. I can always put a henge over it.'_

The disgruntled jonin cleaned out the cut on his forehead and thwapped a frog-covered band-aid on it it irritably. He looked up and observed his reflection in the mirror. Although it was night, he could clearly make out his image, courtesy of the moonlight streaming through the window in his unused bedroom. He looked in silence, taking in his appearance quietly

Messy silver hair stuck up in all directions but a few loose strands fell over his eyes. He reached up and pushed the strands out of his face and looked again. One black eye, one red eye; both staring back at him blankly. He could feel the tomoes spin against his will, siphoning off a portion of his chakra. It wasn't enough to make him tired, but if it was active all day, it was definitely enough to drain most of his chakra. This was why he wore his forehead protector all the time except for when he was sleeping because then his eyes were closed.

He concentrated on redirecting the flow of chakra back to his central system, but the tomoes only increased their speed.

"What in the h-" he couldn't finish his sentence because he was sinking into the ground beneath him.

_Kakashi's Vision..._

_A blinding flash of light whited out his vision. He couldn't see anything. Then he was walking through a hallway of darkness. There was nothing on either side of him. A small pinhole of light shone in the distance. Suddenly he was rushing through it, drawn forward by an unknown force._

"_What in the..." he started to ask._

_And then...he saw it. The Hokage rock, where the faces of previous ninja who had once held the title of Hokage were carved into the mountainside. On top of them stood a lone figure. Kakashi was too far away to see any real details, only nondescript images at best. The shock of bright yellow hair stood out against the darkening backdrop and he knew who the person was instantly; the only genin in the entire Leaf Village with brilliant hair like that was Naruto Uzamaki. _

_Golden tones of orange, pink, and red washed over the scene, but instead of creating warmth, it brought images of blood and death to Kakashi's mind. Ignoring the morbid thoughts that pushed at his mind, he approached the genin. When he was fifteen feet away from the base of the mountain, he looked up. He squinted his eyes. The hair was definately Naruto's, but the outfit was unlike anything he had ever seen Naruto wear._

_A pair of black, knee-length shorts fit him loosely, held on only by two weapon belts. One held what appeared to be a sword, while the other held nearly a dozen different pouches of various lengths and sizes. He could see the glinting points of kunai, shuriken, and senbon needles protruding from the corners of some of the weapon holsters. A tight, black shirt clung to his frame, revealing slightly defined muscles. The shirt had long sleeves made of fishnet that hugged his arms all the way down to his wrists, where they ended in dark fingerless gloves. A leather cuff with a dull metal plate wrapped around the lower part of his left arm, acting dually as a shield and a wrist guard. Another length of black leather traveled up his right forearm, completely encircling it with many shiny buckles on either side. Kakashi could only guess that a sharp metal blade was hidden beneath it._

_His left leg was consumed by bandages that snaked up under his shorts. His sandals were similar to the usual blue ones he wore, except after they reached the ankles, they encompassed his entire leg to just below his knees. Kakashi noted that they had no buckles on either of them. They would have been completely plain except for the weapon holster that was strapped to it. _

_A wind began to blow, tossing Naruto's bright blond hair. When he leaped up into the air, Kakashi's eyes followed his form until he landed on the ground about three yards away. He started to doubt that it was actually Naruto. Never before had he seen such a serious expression on the genin's face. He confirmed his identity when he saw the faint, slash-like shadows the fading sunset cast on the boy's cheeks._

_Naruto watched Kakashi's reactions change from confusion, to acknowledgment, and then to surprise. He made sure that his own expression was stoic when the older man caught a glimpse of his eyes. His red eyes, complete with three tomoes each._

"_The Sharingan...but how...Naruto...?" the jonin was surprised by the amount of confusion in his voice. Normally, he spoke impassively, no matter how much or how little he knew on a subject._

_Naruto remained silent, but his voice echoed words into Kakashi's mind._

"_This...is my true heritage. My bloodline...the Uchiha bloodline..."_

_With that, another man, dark-haired and crimson eyed, appeared beside Naruto. He moved closer to Naruto, one hand resting on the teenager's shoulders._

"_Itachi??" Kakashi gasped, recognizing the older brother of Sasuke._

_The Uchiha looked at Kakashi, Mangekyo Sharingan activated, and then at the boy beside him with the corners of his lips twitching up in a faint smile. Kakashi blinked and suddenly a thin, pale-skinned child looking to be no older than seven was standing next to him. The little girl was dressed in a plain light pink shirt with spaghetti straps, dark gray cargo pants, and matching ninja sandals. Her light gray hair looked to be about medium length, but it was hard for Kakashi to tell because it was up in pigtails. The strangest detail about the young girl was her eyes. She was wearing a face mask almost identical to his own, so only the left eye was visible. It was a bubblegum pink, but somehow seemed dark and distant, as if they held many secrets within them._

"_What is...?" he started, but before he could finish he was rushing backwards through the tunnel. The trio disappeared from his line of sight and he was left in total darkness._

_End Vision..._

Kakashi stumbled back into reality and fell forward, disoriented by the strange vision he'd just had. The sink in front of him halted his fall, but his ribs slammed painfully into hard white ceramic. The air whooshed explosively from his lungs.

"Shit." he cursed.

He let his body drop to the floor, landing in an instinctual side fall position._'What in the...what happened to me?...Why did I have that...thing..and why was it triggered by my Sharingan?' _he asked himself mentally after he rested there for several minutes. He stood up shakily and wiped the beads of sweat from his face.

He took in his tired appearance, the bags under his eyes, the green frog band-aid on his forehead, the way every time he breathed out a sharp spark of pain flared through his ribcage. He picked up his Konoha forehead protector and tied the blue fabric in the back, pulling it down over his left eye. The blood-red iris pulsated beneath the soft cloth, but the intensity faded to a faintly uncomfortable throb and it was gone entirely in a few seconds.

Sighing loudly, he ran a hand through his hair and walked back into the living room. He flopped down on the couch and let himself sag into the soft, comforting leather, which soon heated up from the contact. Warm and comfy, he closed his eyes and fell asleep quickly.

When he awoke two-and-a-half hours later, it was not because his internal alarm had gone off, but because the first rays of morning sunshine penetrated his uncovered eyelid. He blinked bleary in the pale light.

The clock said 6:15 A.M. _'I only slept for two more hours.' _Kakashi thought grumpily. He went to stuff a pillow over his face in hopes of squeezing in another hour or so of sleep, but then he remembered that it was Thursday and he had training with Team 7.

Kakashi spent the remainder of the morning loitering around in his kitchen: slowly making breakfast, slowly eating said breakfast, slowly sipping a fresh mug of hot coffee, and slowly washing his dishes.

Finally, after spending an hour doing four simple tasks, he decided to shower and get dressed for the day. Rubbing the last traces of sleep from his eyes, he set about grabbing a fresh pair of his usual dark blue pants, matching shirt, underwear, and sandals. He was met with the unfortunate trouble of having to choose between his tan jonin vest, which was newer and more impressive, and his green one, which had seen many battles.

"Green or tan, green or tan, green or tan." he recanted over and over until the words became fastened to each other at the end.

Kakashi finally stopped when he realized what he was doing. With a sigh of frustration, he tossed the tan vest onto his unused bed and laid the green one gently on top of his folded clothes. _'Since when did I get around to thinking about impressing my genin squad. I've lost it.'_

Steam billowed outwards, escaping from the small opening between the roof and the bar that held the shower curtain. Millions of hot water droplets cascaded down his body, soothing his aching ribs. He noticed a fairly large bruise where he'd hit the sink snapping back to reality from the strange sort of vision he'd had.

"Should heal in a day or two." he said out loud before realizing that he was, once again, talking to himself.

"Alright then, Kakashi. You are officially losing your mind. Those kids are driving me to insanity."

He shampooed his hair and quickly finished the rest of his shower. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he stepped carefully onto the bathmat and grabbed at another towel. He rubbed himself off and dressed, stifling several yawns. It was almost eight-o-clock when he finished.

"When was...training again...I think...it was at eight." he said, answering his question between yawns.

_'They can wait at the bridge for an hour or two. It won't kill them.' _

Kakashi plopped himself on the couch again and promptly fell asleep. A while later he shifted in his sleep, rays of sun creating an uncomfortable heat around him as they shone through the small window on his door. He groaned and a black eye opened, lazily taking in his surroundings. Squinting, he could just make out the small digits on his clock in the kitchen.

_'9:30...I guess thats as good a time as any to leave. But I'll have to face an angry Sasuke and an angry Naruto...and what's worse: an angry Sakura.'_

He blanched until his face was milk white. _'No sense in delaying the inevitable. It's time to get up and face the music. Oh, who am I kidding?' _he shivered. _'If I make them wait any longer, then maybe they'll just go home and forget about it.'_

Of course he knew that Sasuke "blowing off" training was about as likely as it raining coffee-flavored ice cream. _Not _going to happen. Ever. And Sakura wouldn't forget about it either. Knowing her, she'd just blow up even more the next time he saw her. With a sigh, he made the hand sign of the ram and disappeared in a poof of smoke, completely forgetting about the bright green band-aid pasted on his forehead.

He arrived at the bridge more than an hour-and-a-half late, popping into view on the bridge arc overhead his genin squad. Sasuke was being his usual broody self, while Sakura paced back and forth anxiously. He prepared himself mentally before jumping down to land the wooden planks.

The Uchiha just turned and glared at him, silently demanding an explanation. Hands fisted in his pockets, dark hair in his face, onyx eyes burning darkly, pale face typically stoic with the exception of his lips, which turned down slightly at the corners; Kakashi took note of all of these things and came to one conclusion. That Sasuke was pissed off. _Very _pissed off.

Sakura seemed to not see him. The pink-haired girl went right on pacing back and forth, a worried expression on her face. She kept looking beyond the bridge, switching her brilliant green eyes from the far-off distance to the bright sun still rising to meet the middle of the sky. Her left hand tugged nervously at the hem of her outfit.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Kakashi said, prepared to launch into an hour long speech about old ladies and dirty laundry when he realized that the Uchiha was still staring at him.

One eyebrow cocked slightly, black eyes full of disbelief, Sasuke's features took on the faint characteristics of surprise, which was really all anyone could have gotten from him. And then he did something even more surprising. He spoke.

"You cannot expect us to train." he stated calmly.

Kakashi wasn't anticipating this and it caught him completely off-guard. He resisted the impulse to fall on the ground anime-style and start twitching.

"Wait...what?" the jonin stated once he'd regained his composure. "You're joking right?"

"Are you seriously telling me that you haven't noticed by now? And you're jonin." here Sasuke paused to make a noise of contempt. "In case you didn't realize it already, which I know from your actions that you obviously have not, I'll inform you. Our team is short one member."

Kakashi's mouth dropped open and this time he did fall to the ground, twitching severely. Sasuke, the loner by nature, the stoic, silent genin who normally talked in single-word questions and answers, had just spoken four entire sentences. In a row!! And not only that. He had also included the words "team" and "member". It was almost too much for the poor jonin to take in.

This seemed to draw Sakura out of her preoccupied habit. She looked up at Kakashi, seeing him for the first time, and then said:

"Naruto isn't here yet. And he's later than you are, Kakashi-sensei."

Sasuke confirmed this with a nod. The jonin then realized that Sasuke and Sakura were right. Their bright-haired, bright-eyed, energetic team-mate was nowhere to be seen. Normally Naruto was waiting there at the bridge before any of them. Now Kakashi was worried. This anomalous behavior made no sense at all, and yet he'd been this way two days before, at their previous training session. Something wasn't right.

"Stay here." he said.

Before the others could object, he focused his chakra, created a single hand sign, and disappeared into thin air. The two genin were left behind as he teleported directly to Naruto's apartment.

Taking note of the cracked windows and graffiti-covered apartment walls, Kakashi rapped the door loudly, filled with concern and anxiety. If anything had happened to Naruto, he would never be able to forgive himself. The emotions flowing through his system made him question when he had started caring so much about the blond genin.

He remembered the conversation he'd shared with Iruka Umino, Naruto's previous instructor at the ninja academy, the day after his graduation to a genin at the age of eleven. It had been his third attempt to pass the exams. Kakashi still remembered how excited Naruto was to have finally graduated, which was actually very strange compared to his behavior after-words.

_...Conversation 3rd POV_

"_Hello, Iruka. Thought I'd drop by to see how you were doing." Kakashi said as he sat down carefully on the edge of the hospital bed._

"_Yeah. I'm fine." Iruka replied, trying to sit up and talk with his friend._

_The painful movement caused him to wince as the stark white bandages around slowly turned red. His wound had completely reopened, leaking blood into the wrappings._

"_Sure." Kakashi remarked sarcastically. "You take a fuma shuriken in the back and you're just perfect, aren't you?"_

_The silver-haired jonin gently forced his friend to lay down before scooting a chair up beside the bed. He sat in it and pulled out an older edition of Icha Icha Paradise, flippantly turning the pages. Iruka's patience had reached its limit. Almost all of the fellow jonin knew that Iruka's biggest pet peeve were people who read perverted books in front of him and Kakashi was no exception._

_Iruka waited until his friend looked like he was absorbed in the book before grabbing his I.V. Pole and crashing it down over the jonin's head. He very nearly got Kakashi too, but he felt the swift movement of air and knew to dodge it. One of the small tripod wheels on the bottom rammed painfully into his toes._

_Despite the durable protection provided by ninja-grade black sandals, having a small, hard object aimed with the precision and physical strength of a high-level chunin still hurt...tremendously. Kakashi let out a howl and danced painfully on one foot while simultaneously assuaging his injured muscle._

"_What was that for?!" he exclaimed indignantly._

"_It seems you still can multi-task." Iruka replied with a smile. It left his face as quickly as it had come and his tone grew more serious. "Kakashi. When was Sasuke released from your care?"_

_Kakashi carefully put his foot back on the floor and sat down in the chair, all joking manner gone in the blink of an eye, replaced by a calm, almost stoic expression. When he spoke again his voice was flat, but Iruka could detect mild curiosity in his words._

"_I lent Sasuke the money to purchase his own apartment after he turned ten. He moved in to live with me two weeks after being released from the hospital and stayed with me for a total of a little more than three years." he sounded as though he was rattling off facts, which he was._

"_I'm your friend, Kakashi, not a drill sergeant. What I wanted to get to talking about was Naruto. When he was three, he was taken from the Hokage Tower and hardly ever seen again until he was seven. With no help or guidance from anyone, he bought his own apartment, where he still lives today, alone. The only reason Naruto was even enrolled in the academy was because of an unknown person..._

_That kid grew up with nobody and he's lived by himself since he was seven. He's had it rough. All I ask, Kakashi, it that you look after him for me. I'd do it myself, but you're his instructor now. You have the most contact with him."_

_The small speech seemed to have exhausted Iruka. He blinked heavy eyelids, fighting sleep even as it overcame him._

"_I will." Kakashi replied with a single nod before leaving his injured friend to rest._

_...End Conversation..._

That day, after his graduation, Naruto had disappeared without a trace that very day, was gone the entire day, and hadn't shown up again until later that evening for the small party his new genin team planned to throw him. His face, though clean, was slightly damp with perspiration, and his clothes looked a little more ragged. Several recent tears in the bright orange fabric of his pants were evident. Though it was obvious that he'd washed up, Kakashi noticed the exhaustion in his blue eyes that could have only come from hard training.

Kakashi didn't speak to him about it at all until the celebration was over. If Sasuke or Sakura noticed as well, they said nothing either. After Sakura left for home and Sasuke for his apartment, he'd questioned Naruto on his whereabouts. The blond-haired genin produced only vague and evasive answers which Kakashi was hard-pressed to believe. He let the subject drop and gave Naruto a single pat on the shoulder before leaving the boy behind.

Redirecting himself back to the present came easily when the door swung open, a painfully harsh squeak issuing from the rusty metal hinges. He was greeted by the sight of a messy-haired Naruto squinting up at him, rubbing one eye tiredly with his hand. Kakashi eyed the kid up and down. _'Well, at least he's dressed.'_

**Naruto's house...a few minutes earlier..**

Naruto jolted awake, panic racing through him. He took one glance at the bright sunlight streaming through his window, bolted to his feet, and hastily searched for some clothes to wear. _'I'm sooo late!! Ah, Kakashi-sensei is going to be so mad. Gotta find clothes. Gotta find clothes!'_

Unfortunately, clothes lack the ability to wash themselves and, judging from the dirty laundry strewn across his room, no miracle had occurred overnight. Growling frustratingly at his tardiness, he ran around his room, searching for something, anything, to wear. Something bright orange caught his eye and he flopped himself down onto the dirty floor. He reached under the bed and pulled out one of his typical outfits: orange would-be pants that fit him at the waist but were simply too short, orange jumpsuit jacket with sleeves that were, redundantly, too short.

It would have to do. He tugged them on hastily, fastened the straps on his sandals, and pushed back his hair enough to tie on his Konoha forehead protector. Racing to the bathroom, he flung the door open carelessly and yanked a box of blue contact lenses from under the sink. Although he felt more secure with them on, he could feel the imbalance in his chakra assert itself again. With a sigh, he shut the door against his reflection and turned just in time to hear a sharp rap against his door.

The unmistakable squeak of his door opening itself grated on Naruto's ears. He ran to it just in time and saw Kakashi standing in the entranceway. With a lazy half-smile, he flipped another page of his infamous novel before closing with a sigh. He placed it in his back pocket before looking over Naruto with his one visible eye. _'At least he's dressed.' _

"You're late." Kakashi said simply, eyeballing him.

Naruto stepped back involuntarily as his sensei's single black eye traced over him. He repressed a fear-induced shiver, partly because of the questions he suspected would follow, and partly because the emotionless expression on his face reminded him undeniably of Itachi.

"No excuses, Naruto?" he asked after a while.

Naruto turned red with embarrassment and muttered something unintelligibly beneath his breath.

"I'm afraid I didn't quite catch that."

"I overslept." the genin mumbled only just loud enough for the jonin to hear.

"Is that all?" Kakashi asked. He stared at the blond boy before him incredulously.

Of course he didn't believe a word Naruto had spoken so far, but he wasn't about to let that on. He wanted to see what the boy would do. Kakashi was especially good when it came to interrogating people and catching them in their lies, although he would readily admit he was nowhere as good as Morino Ibiki. The tough chunin exam proctor knew a frightening amount of ways to make people tick, including Kakashi.

"Yeah." Naruto replied, somewhat downcast.

But he said nothing further and his sensei was forced to let the subject drop. Kakashi picked up on the way Naruto shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other and avoided eye contact. He also felt the chakra spiking up irregularly around the boy's body. It gave him an ominous sense of foreboding, and for a moment his strange dream mentally resurfaced, details fresh and clear in his mind. Ignoring it was difficult. Something about the incident screamed for his attention, but he let the images fade from his mind like he'd done after missions in his ANBU days.

"Let's go then. Your genin team is waiting on you."

Kakashi took hold of his pupil's forearm and made a one-handed sign. They were both teleported back to the bridge where the other two genin of Team 7 waited. Sakura looked at Naruto with a mixture of anger and relief. She was about to say something, but after a look from Kakashi, closed her mouth instead. Sasuke, of course, merely glared at Naruto, and said:

"You're late."

Naruto scrunched his eyes up and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Nervous laughter bubbled from his lips.

"Heh-heh. Sorry about that. I guess I..." he started but he didn't get to finish because Sasuke interrupted him.

"Let's go."

Kakashi glanced mildly at the dark-haired Uchiha, who jammed his hands into the pockets of his white shorts and assumed his 'cool' stance. Sakura still seemed mildly distracted by the whole incident and didn't let her attention focus on Sasuke.

"Training grounds # 28 this time. We're switching with Team 8 today. Follow me."

All three genin sprinted after Kakashi, who took off at a pace so fast it was apparent to them all that he wasn't going to be merciful to them today. Sasuke was the first one to discover how the jonin maintained his speed as they raced through the forest from tree to tree. He tried vainly to keep up with his sensei, but the faster he pushed himself, the farther Kakashi seemed to pull ahead. He wondered for a few moments if he wasn't running right into a genjutsu, but his instincts disagreed with his initial thought.

He felt a strange, tingling sensation in his body almost as though his chakra system were directing the flow of chakra to his eyes while neglecting the rest of his body. Suddenly everything blazed clear, each detail of the world became inexplicably vibrant for a split second, and it felt like time had stopped for Sasuke; everything seemed to be moving in slow-motion. It last for only several seconds, but it was enough for Sakura and Naruto, who'd fallen a ways behind to almost catch up to him.

Sasuke shook his head, slightly disoriented from the ordeal, and sped up again. His vision returned to normal, no longer enhanced by the Sharingan which had unknowingly been activated for mere seconds. The landscape returned to its dull, muted look that he found strangely flat compared to what everything had been just a moment ago.

"He's using chakra to speed up his movement. Try directing your chakra towards your feet and leg muscles." he said when he felt Sakura and Naruto behind him.

He truthfully had no idea why he was helping them. It was strange, but he suspected it had something to do with Naruto's recently strange behavior. _'What in the hell am I doing? I sound like a first-rate chatter-box today. How does Naruto manage talk so much?' _ Pushing the problems out of his mind wasn't too far since he was no stranger to it.

He focused his chakra on the soles of his feet and sped up a little bit, but Kakashi was still a long ways ahead, at least six or seven yards away. He found that the trick was to divert his chakra flow evenly between his feet and his lower legs. Rather than speaking again, he chose to let Sakura and Naruto figure it out on their own.

Although Sasuke was the first to detect and copy Kakashi's technique, Naruto was the first one to notice that they had been running in circles the entire time. He'd picked it up after noticing the same rock over and over again and finally stopped.

"Hey...Sakura.." he said between pants.

"What is it...Naruto. We still have...to catch...up with... Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei." Sakura replied, turning towards him with a puzzled look in her bright green eyes.

She wiped her sweaty forehead with the back of one palm, strands of light pink sticking to the sides of her face. Naruto nodded and then began to speak.

"I...We're running in circles, Sakura. I threw a kunai in a tree a while back and we've gone past it three times already. And we've passed this rock before too." he pointed at a large rock. "I think...I think this is training grounds # 28...a track...for endurance training." Naruto said and left the rest for Sakura to figure out.

"I would have felt it if this were a genjutsu. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure I would have noticed if this were a trick. I think you may be right, Naruto..." she trailed off thoughtfully.

The blond-haired genin nodded then a bright smile lit up his whole face. Sakura backed away from him, well aware of the only two things that the devious-looking grin could mean. _'Either he's figured something out or he's planning a trick...oh boy, prepare yourself Sakura.'_

_**'Cha! That's right. Be prepared for anything!'**_

"Hey, Sakura. I think I get the point of today's training."

"Well, what about it?" Sakura asked impatiently. His matter-of-fact tone was really getting on her nerves.

Naruto chuckled and muttered something that sounded like "..he fell for it..."

"Fell for what? Who? Tell me!" she nearly shouted the last part.

"I think Kakashi has been testing us to see what level we're at. He started with us 'running' to our destination, never letting us know where exactly we were supposed to go."

"But what bout training grounds # 28? That's what Kakashi said." Sakura interrupted the genin.

"Don't cut me off like that. I thought really hard about this!!" Naruto whined before continuing on from where he left off. " Kakashi-sensei made sure to keep himself just far enough ahead of us that we could see him, but too far away for us to see any jutsu he might have done. I think he kept us running in a circle to test our team skills."

"But what about Sasuke?"

"I wasn't done yet!" Naruto growled, but he was still happy that Sakura was actually listening to him. "Sasuke said that Kakashi-sensei was maintaining his speed by redirecting his chakra flow to his feet and legs. That was one half of this training. To learn how using our chakra with different parts of our bodies results in different effects. The other half was paying enough attention to our surroundings to realize that we haven't actually gone anywhere."

"Oh..." Sakura said, catching on. "Our real test was to pay attention. And to think we've been running flat-out like this for nearly an hour." she said, sitting down to rest in the shade of a coniferous tree.

" And Sasuke figured out the first part of it...but he fell for the second part. I think Sasuke's been chasing a shadow clone of Kakashi-sensei for a while now and our real sensei is up in a tree nearby reading that perverted book of his."

"And you two pass." Kakashi said, hopping down from a tree much like Naruto had predicted moments earlier.

"Yeah! We pass! Believe it!" Naruto said, thrusting one fist in the air.

"But now you'll have to find Sasuke and tell him about it. You know. Teamwork." Kakashi said, emphasizing the word "teamwork"

"That's true. I mean, he did help us with the first part." Sakura said, agreeing with Kakashi's words.

Meanwhile, Naruto was still jumping around, but he settled down at his sensei's voice. He looked at Kakashi with an expression devoid of his usual carefree manner.

"And I would be careful if I were you. Sasuke...well, lets just say I think he's reached his limit for today, physically as well as verbally. When you find him, your training is complete and you have the rest of the day do to as you like. Remember, teamwork." Kakashi teleported himself away from the area, leaving the two genin behind.

Sakura stared at Naruto with a new light in her eyes. It was like she'd seen something she never though she would see. _'What is this? Its like Naruto is showing me a different side. I don't think I've ever seen him this way before. Its almost...creepy.'_

"Hey, Naruto?"

Naruto turned to face her, completely oblivious to Sakura's new thoughts. Deep blue eyes looked at her questioningly. For a moment their intensity caught her off guard. They seemed so...dark...and so serious. But when he spoke, it was his normal, light-hearted voice.

"Yeah?"

Sakura frowned and shook her head. "Nothing. Let's go."

Right as they were about to leave, Sasuke flashed by, a blur of blue and white against the foliage. He saw them and stopped. Sweat trickled down his face, dampening his shirt slightly. Messy black hair was slick with perspiration and clung to his face. Annoyed, he pushed it back before giving Naruto his trademark glare.

"We were just going to look for you, Sasuke." Sakura said before giving the Uchiha a chance to speak.

"..." was all Sasuke said.

"There were two parts to our training and Naruto figured out the second part." Sakura said, not liking the icy glare she was getting from Sasuke.

"Hn...Then we're done." he said. The dark-haired boy began to walk off, physically exhausted after running in circles for over an hour.

Sakura started to go after him, but Naruto called out her name.

"I don't think that's a good idea. We should just let him be for now and head back to the village." he said.

Sakura considered it and agreed. _'Besides. He did talk a lot today...I mean...he talked a lot for being Sasuke and all...Maybe I can go home and see if Mom still needs some help around the house. This is the first time I've finished training early in a while.' _Sakura meandered off towards Konoha, still lost in her thoughts.

Naruto waited until Sakura left before training his gaze back to where Sasuke had previously been.

"At least Kakashi-sensei didn't mention anything about my chakra imbalance. I don't think I could have handled that too well." he said to himself.

He cast a nervous glance around his surroundings and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. With his eyes shut, he concentrated on sensing chakra from other beings. Nearly a quarter of a mile away, a massive blue dome jumped out from seemingly nowhere. Naruto smiled. That was Konoha. It took a while, but he was only taking safety precautions for what he was about to do.

He reached up and removed his contacts, closing his eyes to block out the surroundings. Even without his vision, the energy dome that was the combined chakra of Konoha quickly separated into individual forms. It was still hard to depict everyone's chakra because the Village Hidden In the Leaves was a crowded place.

Naruto steeled himself and opened his eyes. Nothing happened. Everything looked exactly the same.

"Maybe...maybe he was right. I have two tomoes in each eye, but I don't even know how to activate my Sharingan. The only reason I could have two is because of the chakra of the nine-tailed fox. The Kyuubi's massive chakra was probably the thing that awakened my Kekkei Genkai in the first place...so that means that my Sharingan surpasses my own skill level by a long-shot." he thought. Deductive reasoning. Simple enough.

**'You think, brat? I could have told you that if you'd simply asked.'**

**'Yeah, well. I wasn't asking you, Kyuubi.'**

The fox snorted arrogantly and settled down in Naruto's mind to sleep, but he soon found it impossible.

**_'I can't believe I'm actually thinking this, but I am actually eager to see what the kid is going to do. Will he be able to activate it?'_**

Naruto thought about it, and the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.

"That has to be it." he said.

He closed his eyes once again and concentrated on sensing the flow of his chakra. It was easy. The normal blue mixed with a hint of red; the nine-tailed-fox's chakra. The energy raced through his system. He still had plenty leftover from his training, but then again, it was always like that. He clenched his hands into fists by his side and tried to focus the chakra near his eyes.

It felt as though he had fallen to the floor. A sudden, dizzying, lurching fall forwards that made him snap his eyes open. He gasped. The details of every single leaf seemed to stand out vividly. He could easily see the minute patterns etched into the bark of each tree. The grass blazed green and the blue of the sky seemed to take on a different hue. It was almost overwhelming. It was overwhelming, to say the least.

Naruto stood stock still for ten minutes straight, heart pounding, slowing drinking in the crystal clear images around him. Never before had anything looked so...beautiful. It scared him, but it also made him look forward to training with his former sensei again.

Brought back down to earth by the realistic thoughts, he decided to try something. He pivoted around to where Sasuke's frame had been engulfed by tall trees just a short while ago. He was looking for Sasuke, wanting to see if the Sharingan, along with the ability to sense another's chakra, would be able to detect the location of a person faster without actively searching for them.

When Sasuke knew he had made it far enough away from the others, he partially collapsed on the soft forest floor. _'I used up all my chakra...idiot.'_

He heaved himself tiredly to his feet but he only made it a few more feet before he fell again. This time he was too exhausted to push himself back up. The warm earth felt good against his skin. With a sigh, he closed his dark eyes and started to fall asleep. All of a sudden, he became aware something like hot liquid seeping into his back.

Haziness sank into his mind, flowing through it like a cool breeze. _' I don't know what that is. Is this a dream? Why can't I move my body?' _It was true. His arms and legs had somehow been weighted down like heavy stones. Strangely, he felt calm. Being unable to move didn't send him into waves of panic like he thought it would. He let the gentle heat flow into his body in soothing pulsations and drifted off into sleep.

Naruto stood up from where Sasuke's unconscious body was and stretched out the cramps in his back. The uncomfortable kneeling position he had just been in left painful kinks in the backs of his legs. He knitted his fingers together and twisted his arms out, a satisfying crrrrrack issuing from his knuckles.

"How much chakra did you use, idiot?" he asked the sleeping boy.

Of course, Sasuke didn't respond to his question, only turned over and fashioned a crude pillow with his arms. Naruto couldn't help but laugh at the sight. He stifled his laughter quickly, afraid it might cause Sasuke to wake up. He didn't think the Uchiha would be up and about again for a while.

"You should really thank Itachi. He's the one who taught me how to transfer my chakra to someone else. If only you knew..." Naruto trailed off sadly.

He turned and left the sleeping boy behind, slowly making his way back towards Konoha.

**Alright. 15 pages this time. Lets give it up for me! I know the characters are horribly OC, but I tried my best. And also, I realize I made the abilities of the Sharingan similar to the Byakugan, even though I tried to differentiate them by combining the use of Naruto's Sharingan with his abilities as a genin. The next chapter will come soon enough. I do apologize for the late update, but school will be school. Believe me, if I had a choice, I'd sit on my bum and write fan fictions all day, but that doesn't make me any smarter. **

**I MADE IT TO OVER ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS AND I HAVE ALL THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE TO THANK!!!!**

**Lady Arianrhod (thanks for the clarification) InfinitusNyx ( At least I got one translation right, LOL. As for the date...meh. I knew it was October something. I fixed it too) J-Five, srprasanna, Dragon Man 180, hope master (thanks for the info), CheatersBaby, Dez Guardius ( I checked out your fic. Coolies!) Orozoni (thanks for confirming my translations), IncandescentOne( : ) thanks for info) sunny-rain (Yay! Thankies for the compliments) DaisyAnimeluvr( thanks a lot. I fixed my mistake ), isthisparadise, Tsumetai Taiyoukai, blademaster, magical brat, lunarpurpleprincess, and BloodDrownedRose( thanks a lot for your compliments) You guys/girls rock!!**


	11. For You

**I started typing this right after I posted up the last chapter. Happy Birthday to me. Happy birthday to me!! Yeah. I'm 16 now. OMG driving lessons. O.o... Itachi is so awesome. Um...I'm on a major sugar high right now. Three cans of coca-cola will do that to you, I suppose. And that isn't including the two liter bottle I drank this morning. Enough of my rambling. I have so many wonderful reviewers out there, I can't even list them all. Thank you all for taking the time to comment on my work!! I don't think I could have gotten so far without your support. Also, I did notice some errors on the previous chapter after posting it, so I fixed most if not all of them. Alright, time for the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Naruto...Oh, to heck with Naruto. Itachi rocks! I wish I owned Itachi!**

**Chapter 11. For You**

Itachi tread carefully down the moldering stone steps that led to his current hide-out. Many of them chipped off at the end, leaving sharp, jagged edges and quarter-size holes. He maneuvered carefully over a missing step that would have sent a careless wonderer tumbling down into oblivion. The darkness closed in around him like a thick blanket, but he felt right at home in the obscurely dark cave.

The walls around him were composed of ancient limestone slick with dripping water. Slimy yellow-green mildew coated most of the walls, but in several places there was nothing but old stone. His Sharingan allowed him to see easily where any mortal would have failed...except Shizuka. _'She is a strange girl.' _Itachi thought, remembering the first time he'd brought the young girl down into his little hideaway.

"Shizuka?" he called out, but as he expected, his only response was the name echoing back to him.

The silent girl, whose name was the core of her personality, emerged from the shadows before him, taking slow, deliberate steps to reach him. Soft looking silver-gray hair cascaded around her shoulders and tumbled down to her waist even though it was separated into two high pig-tails. A gray mask several shades darker than her hair covered all of her neck up to her mouth and then extended upwards to completely cover the right eye. A matching forehead protector with three zig-zagging lines engraved in the metal plate held the mask securely in place so it did not slip down. Her visible bright pink eye met his crimson gaze unflinchingly. For a brief moment he was reminded of Naruto.

_Memory...3rd POV_

_Itachi tilted his head up slightly, watching the setting sun from a hill just on the edge of Konoha. It seemed like the perfect way to end the day. By nightfall he would be gone. The Village Hidden in the Leaves could no longer be his home._

_His little brother had a guardian to look after him, a former ANBU by the name of Kakashi Hatake. And as for Naruto, well, the container of the nine-tailed-fox had no idea he was leaving. At least, not yet anyway, but he would soon. His heart was heavy with sorrow. The grief he felt was almost unbearable; it was like he was losing Sasuke all over again._

_Naruto and Sasuke...two boys...so different...and so similar in more ways than it seemed possible. At an early age, their lives were nothing but tragedy and pain. Naruto had grown up in a world of agonizing ignorance, neglected by all of Konoha except for less than a handful of people. Iruka Umino was one of them, as was himself, and eventually Kakashi came to accept the lonely blond. The Third cared for him until he was three to protect him from the vengeful citizens who blamed no one other than Naruto for the loss of Yondaime, the Fourth. Then Itachi had taken over and now he was leaving one of the most precious people to him behind._

_And Sasuke...He'd grown up with him, as well as his mother and father. Unfortunately, their family, and the entire Uchiha Clan, had been torn to pieces by a sadistic man known as Orochimaru. Currently, the only thing Sasuke felt at all towards him was bitter animosity and misdirected hatred, but of course he had no way of knowing that Orochimaru was to blame for the destruction of his clan. And on his sixth birthday as well...It was painful for Itachi to know the truth, but even more painful was knowing that he would never be able to reconcile with his only remaining family member._

_With a sigh, he watched the sun sink further beyond the verdant tree line. Deep red streaks seeped into the puffy clouds like blood stains, giving them crimson hues. All and all, it was a beautiful sight. He couldn't help but think how much the sunset fit perfectly with his choice to leave._

"_Ji-chan...aren't we supposed to be home? Its getting dark now and you have to teach me tomorrow." a blond-haired seven-year-old's voice came from behind him._

_Itachi turned to see Naruto standing several feet away from him. Although normally loud and mischievious, the boy was exceptional at reading a person's emotions. This was one of his remarkable talents though no one had ever realized it. And he could tell right now by the expression on Naruto's childish face that he knew something was wrong._

"_You're...leaving...aren't you?" he asked at last, hanging his head. _

_Itachi's heart wrenched painfully in two as he watched disappointment spread across Naruto's small features. He looked so sad, and he'd already gone through so much...But whispered rumors about a mysterious missing-nin with yellow-eyes spread around Konoha like wildfire and he couldn't ignore them. He knew at once it was Orochimaru and he felt he had no choice other than to avenge his clan by training hard enough until he could kill the despicable man._

"_Yes, Naruto. I am." Itachi admitted softly._

_Truly, Itachi never ceased to be amazed by Naruto's perception. It was like the kid always seemed to know how he was feeling even when he had his guard up. 'Then again,' he thought, 'He does possess the Sharingan.' He couldn't forget about that, but even before that appeared Naruto had always been especially keen when it came to facial expressions. A cruel childhood left its mark on him, and there really wasn't anything he could do about it other than treat Naruto as the human being that he was._

"_Okay..."Naruto trailed off._

_Itachi was surprised. He had expected more from the child than a mere "okay", but the raw emotion in the single word was almost enough to make him doubt his decision to leave. Naruto's face elicited no outward signs of emotion, but the aura of deep sorrow radiated off the boy. He could feel it from where he was standing even though there was some distance between them._

"_I...You won't be coming back...so...this is...good-bye..forever." Naruto paused between the words to hold back his tears._

_Loneliness hit him like a ton of bricks; an emotion he hadn't felt in four years. After living with Ji-chan for so long, knowing that it would more than likely be the last time he ever saw the kind man again. He would be left to his own devices in a village where many despised him and wished him dead. The hateful glances all around him only seemed to disappear when Itachi was there with him. His hostile glare, combined with the large amount of killing intent aimed at everyone surrounding them frightened most people away._

_Itachi went over and pulled Naruto into a hug, which Naruto returned tightly. He could feel the hot tears prickling at his eyes but he pushed them away. It was hard to let go, but finally Itachi stood up and took a step back. The blond-haired boy looked up at him sadly._

"_I don't...want you to leave. What am I going to do?" Naruto asked, his red eyes shimmering with unshed tears._

"_That's why I got this for you." Itachi replied while handing Naruto an oddly-shaped package._

_Naruto looked at it questioningly and Itachi realized that he'd never been given a present before._

"_Open it."_

_The little boys hands trembled with excitement as he slowly tore off the paper. Nobody had ever bought him a present before. This was something entirely new to him. Naruto let out a gasp as he unwrapped a bulging frog-shaped wallet._

"_Open it." Itachi repeated._

_He watched with a small smile as Naruto's childish hands fumbled with the clasp until finally he opened it to reveal money. A lot of money. More than he'd ever seen before in his entire seven years of living. There was also a folded piece of paper._

"_What's this for?" he asked breathlessly. He was still spellbound by the gift._

"_That paper right there contains the directions for your new apartment. I chose it myself and paid for it two years in advance. I think you will like it. You can live there and after you earn the ranking of a genin, you will be able to use the money you earn from missions to pay for other things. Your lessons at the Ninja Academy will start a week from tomorrow, so be ready next Monday."_

"_T-t-thank y-you Ji-chan." Naruto's voice shook with bewilderment._

_He still couldn't believe that Itachi had given him a present. Money...an apartment...a place to live..But Itachi was leaving...and the Academy...genin...missions. It was an emotional overload. He had no idea how to feel at the moment. So many things were running through his head._

_Itachi watched silently as Naruto's expression changed from bewilderness to shock to sorrow and finally, an expression that could only be described as eerily blank with an unfathomable amount of sadness shining in his red eyes._

"_Thank you." he said again lowly, voice heavy with turbulent emotions._

"_Naru-chan." Itachi began, using his affectionate nickname for the boy in hopes that it would cheer him up, even if it was only a little bit._

_Naruto reached out and grasped the folds of Itachi's shirt tightly in his small hands, but he let go and turned so that he was at the older man's side._

"_I won't forget you, Naruto. I promise that I will come back when I can." he said, carefully choosing his words so as not to cause the boy to panic._

_The boy replied with only a solemn nod. He tilted his head to look at one of the only people who had ever cared for him and treated him well. From the angle he was at, he could see the dark red eyes with three tomoes in them, but for once he couldn't read whatever shone within those depths. The Sharingan eyes that Itachi had spoken to him so much about. _

_Without speaking, Naruto grabbed onto Itachi's shirt and pulled himself up until he was sitting on the shoulder of his teacher. Together, the two watched silently as the last dying rays of orange-red sunlight faded from the sky. The air took on a slight chill. Itachi immediately noticed that Naruto had started shivering. He set the little boy down on the ground slowly._

"_You'd better get to your apartment soon before you get sick." Itachi warned._

_Naruto shook his head, clearly preferring to spend as much time as he could with his sensei before he left._

"_I know. Let's play hide-and-seek. It is your favorite game, correct?"_

_The boy grinned, greatly satisfied by Itachi's choice. He was the one person who'd ever taken the time to really get to know him, but sometimes it was scary. On certain occasions it felt like Itachi knew more about him than Naruto actually knew about his own self._

"_Okay. I hide first." Naruto said, bounding away over the hilltop. _

_Naruto scrambled up a nearby tree where he could easily spot Itachi even though it was dark. He closed his eyes and the sounds of the night rushed in to meet him. He focused on trying to make himself as small as possible. Maybe, just maybe, if he hid well enough, Itachi wouldn't be able to find him and he would have to stay._

_Deep inside, though, he knew that wasn't the case. Itachi always found him even when he tried his hardest to find the best spot. Somehow he just always knew where to look. He let out a quiet sigh, disheartened greatly by his revelation. _

_Itachi opened his eyes and searched his surroundings in the dark. For once he fought the instinct to activate his Sharingan, even though the blood in his veins called for it to be released. He mentally squashed the thought and returned to finding Naruto. He decided not to use it, feeling that on this last game it would only be fair. Naruto didn't know how to activate his own Sharingan even though the red eyes were already permanently viewable like Itachi's. The contacts he usually wore simply masked the blood-line trait. _

_Making this last game a level playing field was the only thing Itachi could think of to do as a final farewell gift meant a lot to him. Not using his kekkei genkai was difficult and he hated even the thought of the suggestion that he had come to rely upon it._

_'I have much to learn yet.' Itachi thought._

_Sensing Naruto's chakra was easy. It came from a position up high not too far from where he was now. He suspected that the boy was hiding up in a tree. He approached slowly and felt for Naruto's chakra again. Yes. It was there definitely, though this time it appeared that Naruto was attempting to mask his chakra. It was a haphazard job, but nevertheless it was an improvement from the last lesson Itachi had grilled him on about chakra control._

"_So you were paying attention when I taught you." Itachi said teasingly. "Come on down. I know you're up there Naruto."_

"_Oh...how come you always manage to find me?" Naruto whined, jumping down from the tree. He landed on all fours and then stood up, brushing the dirt off of his knees._

_Itachi ignored the question and ruffled the little boy's spiky blond hair affectionately with one hand. It was cute to see how much it annoyed him, but it also served to distract Naruto from the sadness he would feel later, after he left._

"_You're turn to hide, Ji-chan." Naruto said while pushing the hand off of his head._

_With a few frustrated swipes at his hair, he finally abandoned the idea of fixing it and started counting to twenty in Japanese._

"_I'm so sorry, Naruto, but I need to do this." Itachi said in a voice below a whisper. He created a single hand sign, focused a small amount of chakra in it, and teleported himself far away from the outskirts of the Village Hidden in the Leaves._

"_Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, iroku, sichi, hachi, ki, ju..." Naruto stopped suddenly, a cold sensation spreading throughout his body. _

_He couldn't feel Itachi's presence anywhere. It was as though his mentor had simply disappeared. They had played hide-and-seek before and this had never happened before. He felt his heartbeat slow down until he could have sworn that it stopped. Now he was afraid._

"_Ji-chan?!" Naruto called out. He started to panic. 'What if...' he thought. 'what if he left already?'_

_Naruto quickly opened his eyes. He could see everything around him perfectly, but the shapes of the trees surrounding the hilltop pressed in against him. The massive outlines towered over him on three sides. He looked up to see a patch of night-darkened sky clustered with stars. Frantically he searched for his sensei, but there was nothing left, not even a trace amount of chakra. It finally dawned on him that Itachi was gone._

"_Ji-chan..." _

_He dropped down on his knees, fighting desperately to keep his tears at bay. The words of his former mentor echoed in his mind. He drew strength from them and stood back up, wiping away the lingering tears. He looked up resolutely towards the crescent moon glittering coldly in the sky._

"_I promise...I promise to you that I will make you proud. I'll become...the strongest ninja ever." Naruto said, directing his newly clenched fist towards the stars._

_With a tired yawn, he rubbed his ruby eyes tiredly and began the long trek home. He lovingly patted his bulging frog wallet before pocketing it in his pants. It was late when he made it to the door of his apartment, but the door was unlocked and he slipped quietly inside. The door automatically locked behind him with a soft click._

_On his new and surprisingly comfortable bed, he scooted closer to the small window, pressing his forehead against the panes. His steamy breath fogged up the thick tempered glass. With a finger, he reached up and absently drew three tomoes, a picture of a particular Sharingan wielder in his mind along with the promise he'd made to his former sensei._

"_I promise, Ji-chan. I promise." he repeated before drawing the curtains closed and burrowing himself under the blankets of his bed._

_End Memory..._

A warm, soft touch jolted him out of his memories and back to the present. Itachi looked down to see Shizuka watching him with a single pink eye, a small, thin hand enclosed around one of his fingers.

"I'm fine. Let's go down and get you something to eat. Then I can tell you about some more people who will be joining us. How would you like that?" he asked.

It was dark, but Shizuka could see the small smile on his face. Something akin to concern shone in his red eyes momentarily before being replaced by a faraway look. _'He always does that when he's thinking about someone. That person...it's always that person. Maybe..maybe that person will come back. I miss my person...Okaa-san.' _

**Shizuka's Memory...Shizuka's POV.**

"**Shizuka! Stay under here and don't you dare come out! Promise me you'll stay hidden!" my brother shouts as he shoves me roughly in a closet. **

**I know I will have a bruise from his touch, but at the moment it didn't matter. All that currently mattered, at least to my brother, was my safety.**

"**Hotaru?! I promise Hotaru, but what's going on?" I call out, but the door is closed in my face and I am left to find the trap door leading to the secret place beneath our house by myself.**

"**Stay in there!" Hotaru shouted again but his voice was muffled by the wooden door between us.**

**I'm so afraid I can't make myself think straight. My hands grope around blindly in the darkness of the small space until I feel a patch of soft carpeting. I shove it to one side to reveal a smooth metal ring. I tug and a hole opens up to reveal a rickety wooden staircase. I crawl down on my hands and knees and swing the trapdoor shut behind me.**

**It's cold down in the basement, so cold that I can see my breath coming in misty little puffs from my mouth. I keep going down, farther and farther, and it feels like ice is seeping down my skin.**

"**I'm scared." my voice echoes out.**

**It doesn't sound like my voice. It comes out soft and quavery. This makes me even more scared. I have no idea what's going on right now, but I can already guess from the noise outside that there is a battle going on. The faint sounds of metal clanging against metal and the screams of the dying just barely penetrated through the thick walls, but it was enough to make me suspect what had happened.**

**There were men, rogue ninja from many different villages, have been tormenting our village. The Village Hidden in the Shadows is a secretive village that few have ever heard about and even fewer know of its existence. I've lived here my entire life. I could never understand what it was that these men wanted. **

**Once I overheard my brother talking about them to my mother; I never knew my father. I quickly realized that I was eavesdropping, whether I actually intended to or not I'll never know, but I ran away before I could hear anymore. What I learned that night when I was five I will never forget. These ninja who took our money and controlled our land were nothing more than a group of bloodthirsty, powerful missing-nin who thrived off of violence, bloodshed, and pain.**

"**The Akatsuki...they must be attacking our village. Hotaru!" I call out.**

**Now I'm worried. I'm so afraid that I'm covered in cold sweat and shaking and my stomach is cramping up in painful knots. Warm tears fall down my skin before I can even realize that I am crying.**

**I get the overwhelming instinct to look behind me. I know that someone is in the room. My body freezes up in fear before I can make any attempt to get away. An icy hand clamps over my mouth just as I start to scream.**

"**LET ME GO!" I struggle to shout, but my captor only seems to be amused.**

"**Your flesh...so young and tender. I wonder...if I should make you mine." a cold voice speaks into my ear. **

**The man's hot breath tickle my ear. For some reason this makes me feel dirty and slimy, so I shiver, trying to rid myself of the feeling. It doesn't work. There is only an amused chuckle from the person who is holding me down. He drags me back against the far wall of the basement and then I feel my arms being lifted up to either side halfway. He mutters a word under his breath, there is a small burst of chakra, and then thick cuffs with chains are conjured into the air.**

**He makes sure my arms are pinned down securely before he moves on to my legs. When he's done, he backs away and I muster one of the best hateful glares that I can. Once again he is only amused. Then he sees my eyes and frowns.**

"**So...this is the best Kagegakure has to offer of their bloodline? I thought the Hidden Shadow Village would have ensured better protection for you than the pathetic ninja and kunoichi outside at the moment...Quite disappointing, actually, though I must say the color is becoming on a young girl such as yourself." he says in a low tone while brushing a cold finger across my cheek.**

"**Shut up! Get your filthy hands away from me!" I shout as I yank my head away from him.**

**Again, the amused laughter escapes from his lips. I see his eyes and I feel the blood run cold in my veins. The chill doesn't leave me so I start shaking badly. **

"**I have many uses for you...little girl. How rude of me not to introduce myself. I am known as Orochimaru." he says coolly.**

**His eyes are mocking me, I'm aware of it, but there isn't anything I can do about it. A lead weight settles in my stomach. _'What is he talking about...uses? Bloodline trait...I'm confused. Our village doesn't have a kekkei genkai, at least, none that I've ever been told about...No one in the entire village has ever mentioned anything to me about any special traits at all.'_**

"**Kagegakure doesn't have a special bloodline trait." I speak, and to my surprise my voice is loud and clear, not at all shaking like I am on the inside. A feeling of defiance takes over me as the man in front of me begins to frown and I let it sweep over me like a wave of euphoria. Then he chuckles lightly and the cold feeling assaults me again intensely.**

"**Of course...It figures they wouldn't tell you. Well, little girl-"**

"**I am not a little girl! I'm nine years old; I'm just short for my age, and I have a name!" I shout bravely, cutting him off.**

**I think I'm treading on thin ice, but I continue anyways. I can't seem to stop myself even though its a mental wrestling match in my head.**

"**But I'm not going to tell it to you! You don't deserve to know, you disgusting man! You and your group have controlled our village long enough! Let me go!!" I shout, struggling from my bonds.**

"**You insolent little brat!" **

**Before I can even react he has a twin-edged kunai pressed just above my right eye. He pulls it down quickly in one fluid motion and I feel a stinging pain on my face before half of my vision is blocked out by dark liquid. Warm blood gushes down my face. I can tell that the cut is much deeper than a superficial wound although its far from fatal. I scream when he traces back over it with the tip of the blade and then slashes the kunai across my face again, creating an X-mark with two slightly crescent-shaped cuts facing opposite directions.**

"**I hate you!" I say, but I start gagging because of the sudden metallic taste in my mouth. My own blood ran over my lips and pooled in my mouth. I couldn't stomach it. I threw up everything that I'd eaten that night.**

"**You have my mark now. You are mine." Orochimaru said in his mocking voice.**

**I could only see out of one eye but the grin on his face was one of pure evil. His yellow eyes held nothing but cruel, mocking sadism. Stringy black hair fell into his pale face. I shut my right eye against the throbbing pain in my face and hung my head, watching the blood form a puddle beside my feet. Tears stung my left eye. A wave of killer intent swept over me, but when I quickly looked up I could tell it hadn't come from Orochimaru either.**

"**Orochimaru! Get away from the girl now. You and I have a score to settle, you bastard!"**

**Standing directly beside Orochimaru was a man with mid-length black hair and the most frightening eyes I'd ever seen. The pupil was a tiny blood red spot surrounded by a warped black circle. Three slightly curved spikes equally distanced came out of the circle to touch the end of the iris, which was the same color as the pupil. Three thin lines with small, evenly spaced lines branched straight out just a tiny bit bent in contour with the twisted circle.**

"**Well. Itachi...long time, no see. I thought you died the same night you destroyed your clan." Orochimaru said, easing the words out casually as though he was talking to an old acquaintance. **

"**You were the one who..." Itachi hissed out through gritted teeth.**

"**Temper, temper. You always let it get the best of you and that clouds your judgment. After all, you are an Uchiha prodigy, and prodigies, especially ones from your bloodline, shouldn't ever let their anger control their actions."**

"**Shut the hell up!" the red-eyed man retorted sharply.**

**The strange markings in his eyes began to spin faster and faster until it was a blur. For a moment everything in my vision swayed. The ground seemed to lurch beneath my feet and then all of a sudden I was standing outside in the middle of my home village. I gagged as the fetid stench of death overwhelmed my senses. I saw bodies lying motionless on the ground which was stained red with blood. Numerous weapons littered the ground.**

**I gasped, taking in the sight. _'This wasn't a fight...this was a...a...a massacre.' _All of the blood, all of the death, there was so many of it. Dying screams for help filled the air. Around me redness splashed wetly in the air and landed on the ground. People I knew...close friends, families, neighbors, people whom I'd grown up knowing...all around me they were falling. Mortal wounds spurted out fountains of blood. Gurgles signaling the loss of life combined with the screams created a music of death and destruction.**

**I wanted to make a noise, to talk, to scream, to at least do something, but my lips had frozen. I couldn't say anything. Fear burbled up inside me. Out of thin air my brother appeared. His outfit was dark with blood that oozed from a deep gash in his chest. Frothy red bubbles foamed up from his mouth.**

"**Its your fault." he choked through red-stained lips and teeth. "Its your fault that we are all dead. Our clan died to protect you! If it was for your kekkei genkai than the Akatsuki would've just left us alone. These deaths...are your responsibility alone, Shizuka Morimatsu."**

**_'NO! It isn't true. I don't have a bloodline trait. The Hidden Shadow Village has no kekkei genkai. NO, NO, NO! Why does everyone keep saying that.'_**

**A dull pain returns to my injury. I blink my eyes shut and open my left one. Orochimaru and Itachi are both standing in front of me. Itachi is closer, while Orochimaru stood several feet away looking around with interest.**

"**You have improved, Uchiha. I give you that much credit...to be able to activate the Mangekyo Sharingan and use Tsukiyomi, even within the presence of one of the most secretly coveted kekkei genkai in this land. Shizuka, is it? ...You interest me greatly, little girl. You will come with me." Orochimaru speaks slowly, as if he is actually considering what he says.**

"**You...leave her the hell alone." Itachi says while moving to stand in front of me. **

**His voice comes out in halting gasps. It looks like he is in pain. I haven't realized it until now but my chakra is surging through my eyes. My vision warps and twists like a tunnel, blurring my surroundings. Suddenly the dull throbbing in my face comes back full-force. The intensity of it combined with what I've just seen makes me scream. **

"**Damn it." Itachi shouts as he doubles over clutching his head between his hands.**

"**I feel I have overstayed my welcome. I will see you all soon enough, Shizuka...Itachi. Until then." Orochimaru says and I watch as he bites his thumb and runs the blood over a strange mark on his right shoulder. **

**A massive snake bursts out of the ground sending clumps of dirt soaring high up into the air. Its giant scales gleam like a freshly polished sword as it slithers across to the man, who somehow manages to pet the thing. I shiver. From what I've learned from our ninja school, I know that the man has a blood contract with the snake. The snake **

"**Orochimaru! Ahh!! Dammit...what the hell...did you do to me?" Itachi drops heavily to his knees, still doubled over, still clutching his head in what appears to be sheer agony.**

"**You have Shizuka to thank for the pain from casting this genjutsu. For now her life is with you. She better be alive when I run into you again, or I'll kill you. Well..." the yellow-eyed man chuckles softly. "You are both going to die by my hand no matter what you do."**

**He jumps onto the snake's head and then they vanish into a sea of pink mist. The metallic scent of blood washes over me. I squeeze my left eye shut and when I open it again I am back on solid ground inside the basement. Itachi is with me, but now he is lying on the ground not moving. It takes me a few seconds to remember his name, but eventually it comes back to me.**

"**Um...Itachi." **

**I reach out to touch the hilt of a sword strapped to his waist. A freezing hand catches mine in a tight grip and I let out a strangled scream. It instantly lets go of my hand, which I bring up to my face. Touching the wound causes pain to shoot through the affected area.**

"**Don't touch that. Are you alright?" the red-eyed man asks me while getting back to his knees. notice that his eyes have changed. In place of the warped circle and lines there are three small, black, circles with comets tails. They look like little commas. Separating the strange marks are a bunch of miniscule lines in the shape of a circle.**

**He touches my skin and I freeze up. My heart starts pumping a million miles an hour. _'He's not going to hurt me. He wants to help...just relax.'_**

**I want to say something but the words won't come out. I can only stare miserably at him with one eye while he watches me silently. Itachi looks like he's thinking really hard and I start thinking myself. When he speaks again it startles me, breaking me out of my reverie.**

"**I apologize for the things you saw. What they were...was a powerful genjutsu...it wasn't meant for you...I..." he stops and looks at me helplessly.**

**Whatever he's trying to say is obviously very difficult. I shake my head back and forth to tell him that he doesn't have to explain himself before the memories come back to me. _'If it was a genjutsu, then the things I saw weren't true...But what did happen? And why did it look like he was in so much pain if he was the one who cast the genjutsu...?'_**

**The questions bounce around in my head but I still can't make myself say anything. My tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth; the coppery taste hasn't left. I open my mouth, but the words don't come out.**

"**Don't force yourself to do anything." Itachi watches me. "I'll take you with me. There isn't anything left here for you, Shizuka."**

**I'm briefly startled when I hear him say my name for the first time, but then I remembered that he must have learned it from Orochimaru. Its the first time I feel myself wishing deliberate harm on another person. I want to ask him what he means by "there isn't anything left here for me." but before I can try to ask he seems to understand.**

"**The Akatsuki destroyed your village. Everyone here is gone." he speaks softly.**

**I can't believe what he is saying. _'Everyone gone...Kagegakure destroyed? Onii-san...Otou-san...dead...my friends...my neighbors...The Hidden Shadow Village can't be gone...can it? Could the Akatsuki really have killed everyone?'_**

**He picks me up and I just let him carry me. I notice how pale his face is and how heavily he's breathing, but I don't, I can't say anything. I curl my body into a tight ball against his chest evne though I know my blood will stain his clothes. We slowly make our way to the top the rickety stairs.**

"**I will take us someplace safe for the time being Shizuka. What you were forced to see back there wasn't right at all, and I am sorry. You don't want to see what this village looks like outside these walls. Please trust me when I say this. Do you?"**

**The question startles me, but I heard it clear as daylight. I believe every single word he says. Something about this man makes me want to trust him. Something screams at all of my senses to trust him. Its almost as if he's lived through something similar to what has just happened to me.I look at him and nod my head without speaking.**

"**Alright, Shizuka. Hold on just a little bit longer and then I can treat your eye, okay?" he says.**

**His voice is low and calm, lulling me into a sense of peace. For the moment, I can't think about anything else but how tired I feel. I close my left eye, and despite the pain from the cuts on my face, I quickly fall asleep in the Itachi's arms.**

**End Memory...End Shizuka's POV.**

Itachi stood calmy, musing to himself, and waited for Shizuka to bring herself back the present. _'This isn't anything new. I just have to wait until she decides to stop remembering something. How does she do it...Even with the trauma from what happened that night two years ago, it shouldn't block her ability to speak...unless she simply doesn't want to.'_

The blank look in her eye cleared and she blinked several times before refocusing on Itachi. She said nothing but tugged on his finger lightly, signaling she was ready to go. The two walked at a moderate pace and soon arrived down at the bottom. They proceeded through the entrance to a room dimply lit by torches. The flickering firelight sent shadows scattering across the rocky walls. She released him and dropped her hand down to her side.

The floor was covered by warm, black carpet a few inches thick and extremely comfortable. Four wooden shelves lined the walls, which were sheet-rocked over and painted a deep burgundy color. Each shelf contained basic living necessities like clothes, military rations, canned foods, shampoos, soaps, and other bathroom niceties. Surprisingly the room was quite warm even though it was underground. All in all, the place was completely incongruous to what one would associate with a cavern. Itachi had managed to fix up the entire place soon after bringing Shizuka to it.

"Are you hungry?" Itachi asked, but as he expected, the little girl beside him spoke not a word.

Shizuka merely looked up at him, pink eye dark and unreadable. She nodded twice before running off to the far corner of the room where she started to practice throwing kunai at a small target. Itachi left the girl to her training and went about boiling some water on a bunsen burner. He wasn't about to mention the fact that her unwavering volition to remain silent was extrodinarily vexing at times. It tested the limits of his patience but he understood, perhaps better than anyone he knew except Naruto and Sasuke, that large incidents often left catastrophic damage to a person's psyche, especially if the person happened to be a child.

_'After all. Shizuka is only a child.' _Itachi reminded himself sternly as he tore open a package of ramen.

He dumped the contents into the boiling water and discarded the bag. The scent of chicken and vegetables wafted up to him, making his mouth water. He resisted the strong urge to laugh when Shizuka's head popped up in front of him to watch the noodles cook. She looked at him, then back at the pot, then back to him again as if asking when it would be done.

"A few more minutes and then we can eat, Shizuka. Of course I'm making chicken ramen. And you have to take your mask off. Yes, you can put it back on as soon as we are finished. " Itachi said before cutting himself off abruptly when he realized he sounded like he was having a conversation with himself.

Shizuka seemed to have been aware from the beginning because she covered her mouth, which was already covered by her mask, with her hand and watched him. Her visible eye shone with laughter. She silently mocked him and waited for a response.

"You knew I sounded like an idiot, didn't you? And you didn't even say anything. Hmph." Itachi said while crossing his arms in a very feminine way to provoke more amusement for the girl's sake.

Shizuka nodded emphatically, earning a loud sigh from Itachi.

"You are too much. Come on now. Take off your mask long enough to eat." Itachi said firmly.

He didn't always mind if the girl chose to remain mute, but he knew that she could hear perfectly because she gave him a flat look. He clearly read it as a protesting "Do I have to?" and answered her question with a single nod. Her reaction didn't surprise Itachi in the least, but even though he felt a twinge of guilt for having to remind her of her past every time she wanted to eat something, he held fast to his decision. He provided for Shizuka and she lived under his roof, so therefor she was expected to obey him at least some of the time.

Itachi turned off the bunsen burner and brought it to a makeshift shelf that served as a countertop. He turned back around to see that Shizuka had already retrieved two bowls for him. He took his dish first and filled it to the brim before setting it aside. He watched the girl until he knew she realized that she wasn't going to eat unless she listened to him. She unfastened the velcro beneath her forehead protector that held up the thin spandex mask and let it slip down under her chin.

A pale, slightly indented scar in the shape of an X formed by two jagged lines was revealed on the right side of her face. Her eye itself was unmarred by the injury and most of the skin around the area was untouched except for the mark. The two upper lines of scar tissue traveled up to an inch below her hairline while the lower lines ended on the top of her cheek.

Shizuka gave him a look that plainly stated her dissatisfaction but Itachi merely brushed it off.

"Thank you, Shizuka. Give me your bowl so I can serve your food."

The girl's lips twitched up in the faint beginnings of a smile as she handed her dish over to him. Itachi poured the remaining noodles and broth into the bowl and handed it back to her. She accepted the food eagerly and made her way over to the tatami mat in the center of the room without spilling a single drop.

"Two years without talking...How do you do it?" Itachi mused to himself.

He joined her shortly with two pairs of chopsticks in one hand. He gave her one set and they both started to eat their ramen. Between bites Itachi slowly began to explain about the new visitor that would soon be living with them both.

**Note: In case you do not know, tempered glass is a type of treated glass, I think. When broken, it shatters into rounded pieces rather than jagged shards. I figured they probably used it in Konoha all the time, you know, with all the ninjas and whatnot. /shrugs/**

**Okay, hope you all liked that chapter. Sorry about that but there were some major errors i had to take care of. I am rewriting the chapters as fast as I can. Hopefully the next update will come much quicker. I was stuck at a mental road block and with mid-terms here it hasn't been easy. Nothing but tests for a week. O.o At least tomorrow is Thursday. One more thing. I will only rewrite chapters until they start getting longer and longer. I wrote aabout 3-4 pages on average and now I write about 12-16 pages. I'm trying to make this as good as I can. Thanks for reading!**


	12. Saying Goodbye, Saying Hello

**Finally, I've updated!!! Late, late, late, I know. But I was getting DSL installed so now I can post up new chapters even faster. And plus, I felt bad about getting so many wonderful reviews and not typing any more in so long that I decided to kick my lazy butt in gear. I did take notice that some people have a problem with lengthy flashbacks as stated in several reviews. Please note that I only use them to link past and present events. I do not intend use them in every chapter. One more thing. I'll try to make this chapter long to compensate for conversations between characters.**

**A humongous ' THANK YOU' goes out to: Dragon Man 180, Dumbledork, Keiko Mineko, sunny-rain (thanks so much), Jeefus, Blue Dragon, Harteramo, Nocturne del Shadow, ranger27, turtlegm, shadow patronus, and naruhina forever. Also, thanks to all others who I might have accidentally left out or who reviewed on other chapters.**

"**bold" **human/demon communication

"regular" talking

_'thoughts'_

"_**italic bold" demon thoughts**_

**quick note: there will be context in the chapter including mildly implied rape. This fanfiction is appropriately rated. Also, reread chapter 11. I changed it again to add a small important part that I forgot. Its about Shizuka's parents.**

**Chapter 12. Saying Good-Bye, Saying Hello.**

Naruto shoved his hands deep into his pockets and walked along the edge of the street, his footsteps made sharp staccato noises against the cobblestone. A slight wind teased his hair and tugged at his clothes. At the moment, he was perfectly content.

He continued to walk until he reached an open field. His eyes traveled to the verdant grass dancing in the wind. Three large posts sat firmly in the ground, casting short shadows on the ground. The sight of the lush greenery combined with the clear sky overhead was simply breathtaking.

_'This is where Sasuke and Sakura and I were tested after we all met Kakashi-sensei.' _he thought.

Rays of sunlight streaked across the area. He turned his face up to let the radiant warmth spread through his body. A sigh escaped his lips. Before he had any chance of stopping himself, he fell stomach first onto the soft grass and rolled over so that he was lying on his back in the field.

"Am I really...going to leave this all behind? Konoha really is beautiful."

"**But its people aren't. No one here respects you, brat."**

"**So?" **Naruto asked, letting the insult slide. It didn't really bother him anymore.

"**I will never understand you humans."**

"**Yeah, yeah. You say that all the time. I'll train with Itachi and Hinata to become really strong. Then I'll come back and show everyone...even Sasuke. I'll kick his butt so bad it'll be sore for the rest of his life."**

"**Right, brat. That is, if you even survive the Uchiha's training."**

"**Cut it out, fluff-ball. You're ruining my good mood."**

"**I am _not _ever, ever, ever, be referred to as fluff-ball. I am entitled to respect, you stinking brat."**

Naruto snickered at the fox's choice of words. He had already seen the biju sealed within his stomach and decided that, more than anything, the nine-tailed fox looked like a giant ball of crimson fur.

"Right. Of course you aren't." Naruto whispered to himself with a grin.

He closed his eyes against the blinding sunlight and began to snooze. Naruto woke up a short while later when a cool shade fell over his face. Since he was warm from laying in the sun and didn't really want to get up just yet, he cracked open one blue eye.

_'Dark hair...black eyes...bangs...looks all emo...face neutral...how the hell is his expression even possible...? I mean, does he have a kunai stuck up his butt or something. It's gotta be...'_

"Sasuke? What gives? I was enjoying myself and for once I wasn't bothering you." Naruto closed his eye against the image of Sasuke's face.

Naruto could tell by the dark blurry shadow in front of his eyelids that Sasuke was still standing in front of him. Laughing inwardly, he decided to ignore the Uchiha.

_'It'll be worth it if I can get one last rouse out of him before I -' _Naruto's thoughts were broken off quite suddenly when sunlight burned into the back of his eyelids.

"What the-?!" Naruto shot up and blinked painfully in the bright light.

Sasuke was sitting coolly beside him with a neutral expression on his face. He didn't say anything at first; just merely watched Naruto from the corner of his eye. After several minutes of silence he stretched himself out on the ground and closed his eyes.

The silence lengthened between them for what seemed like an eternity to Naruto, but it wasn't uncomfortable. He followed Sasuke's motion and folded his hands behind his head as a cushion. The grass was like a soft cradle. He sneezed when a long blade tickled his nose. _'Why couldn't things always be this peaceful? Why did I have to be the one...why couldn't the fox demon have been sealed inside someone else? Why did it have to be me?'_

Reflecting over his thoughts, he sank into a contented half-sleep. He wasn't expecting Sasuke to speak at all so he was startled when the older boy began to talk.

"I normally wouldn't ask this but..." Sasuke paused and turned away.

He seemed to be searching for words to say. This surprised Naruto. Sasuke didn't seem like the type of person to have trouble voicing his thoughts. _'Its probably about the training exercise earlier today. He prefers to keep to himself and although he might not talk much, he's never afraid to speak his mind.'_

"Would you help me train tomorrow?"

It seemed like the genin wanted to say more, but he bit himself off and glanced at Naruto. Naruto was genuinely surprised by the question. Sasuke seemed to sense this and stood up.

"Never mind." he recanted. "You wouldn't be much help anyways. You're way weaker than I am."

He was about to leave when Naruto called out.

"Hey wait! I can if you want me to. Don't go."

Sasuke looked at Naruto. He shielded his eyes from the glaring sunshine as the genin approached him.

"Just tell me the time and place and I'll be there."

"Saturday at 6 AM. That isn't a problem, is it?" Sasuke shoved his hands coolly in his pockets.

"No...Um..Whats today?" Naruto felt like an idiot asking the question but asked anyways.

"It's Friday."

Naruto breathed in sharply. _'Today's Friday?! How could I have forgotten? Oh man. I gotta go home and get my things packed. I have to be at the edge of the Konoha forest by 4 AM tomorrow. Ahhh, Naruto!! How could you have forgotten?! Hinata's probably got her stuff together already and I haven't even gotten started'_

"**Don't run away or say anything stupid, brat. Sasuke catches on quickly. He will know if you're hiding something."**

"**I KNOW!" **Naruto shouted mentally.

He flashed what he hoped was a convincing grin and nodded.

"Yeah! Of course I'll be there. But uh...I gotta go now. See ya tomorrow!!"

Sasuke sweat-dropped as Naruto took off running at a furious pace. _' There is definitely something suspicious about his behavior. I guess I'll find out tomorrow when we train.' _He didn't give it a second thought and decided to wonder around Konoha.

Naruto took the shortest route he knew to his apartment, running the entire way. When he arrived in front of the place, his clothes were sticking uncomfortably to his body. Perspiration trickled down his neck into the collar of his jacket. The door in front of him opened with an unearthly squeak.

He shut the door behind him, still mentally berating himself for his absentmindedness. Once inside his room, Naruto peeled off his sweat-dampened clothes, removed his contacts, and hopped into the shower. Fifteen minutes later he reemerged cleaner and fresher, but no less frantic.

"I have got to get my stuff together. And then I have..." he sighed, exasperated with his predicament.

A nervous feeling wormed its way into his gut. He plopped himself down on his bed and sighed. _'What was I thinking? I can't do this. I can't, I can't, I can't.'_

"But I have to. I don't have any choice. I'll never get stronger...I'll never learn how to use my sharingan if I don't go. Okay, Naruto. Calm down. Just calm down. You can't think straight if you aren't calm. I'll just start by packing my ninja gear. I have to bring that."

Naruto retrieved a backpack from his closet and placed it on his bed before getting to work. He began removing an assortment of kunai and shuriken hidden carefully in various places around his room. _'A ninja can never be too prepared.' _he thought while removing a small cache of kunai from beneath his mattress.

He smiled briefly, remembering the days he spent training with Itachi. Itachi was the one who had told him to keep weapons available in every room.

_Flashback..._

"_I might not always be here to care for you, Naruto, so you have to be able to defend yourself if an enemy attacks." Itachi told the little boy standing before him seriously._

"_But Ji-chan...why would an enemy attack me here? This is my home so why would they do that?" Naruto asked._

_Naruto looked at his teacher with wide, innocent blue eyes. Then he seemed to understand because his eyes grew darker and he looked away._

"_Its...because of why everyone hates me, right? Because of...what's inside me...?" he spoke lowly, his voice heavy with remorse and pain._

"_Not everyone hates you, Naruto. I don't hate you."_

"_You're the only one..."_

_Itachi sighed and ran a hand through his black hair. It was one of those times where he didn't know what to do. Raising his little brother hadn't been nearly as easy as his current charge. A simple trick or jutsu could bring Sasuke out of his darker moods quickly, but that didn't work with Naruto. _

_The kid was an anomaly. His emotions could change from positive to negative in the blink of an eye. Naruto seemed to possess a sense of wisdom beyond his intellect, but he also had the innocence of any child, even one jaded by cruel behavior._

"_Come here." Itachi said._

_He scooped the tiny Naruto into his lap and mussed his short blond hair affectionately._

"_One person can be the difference between happiness and loneliness, Naruto. And if I am that one special person, then I'm glad to be it." Itachi said warmly._

_Naruto perked up immediately at these words. He flashed a smile that seemed to stretch across his face and then proceeded to hug Itachi._

"_You know, Ji-chan. We could almost be brothers, don't you think? Can you help me hide the kunai, now?"_

"_Sure." came a distracted reply, but Itachi's thoughts were on someone else._

_End Flashback..._

"If only I'd known back then just how close we would become later on. I was only five years old when I said that. Now I know...we really could have almost been brothers..." he paused, allowing himself to revel in the happiness of his days with Itachi. " Ahh! Don't get distracted, Naruto. I have to get everything together!!"

He quickly got back to the task at hand. After he was finished gathering all of his weapons, he placed them in an extra kunai holster he'd kept safely stored away inside his closet. He packed the shuriken into another and then pushed them into the bottom of his bag.

"Now for the clothes."

He didn't have a lot of clothes like Sasuke and Sakura seemed to think. In reality, he had four sets of his "favorite"orange jumpsuit and two darker outfits that he wore only when he didn't want to stand out. Occurrences like that were becoming more and more common, but he felt obliged to go through his happy-go-lucky routine.

There was a time where he didn't strive to hide his inner self. The brutal pain of keeping secrets from those he loved and cared for after Itachi's disappearance had slowly cut a scar deep into his heart. Although he fought hard to push away the pangs of guilt and sorrow that ceaselessly haunted the recesses of his mind, they always seemed to build up and explode when he least needed it.

The journey to the Land of Waves several weeks back wasn't an entirely unpleasant trip, but it had brought back unwanted memories. He remembered freezing up in front of the two demon brothers, Mizu and Gozu. Sasuke's barbed comment about being a scaredy-cat had hurt him more then he'd ever let on. He shook away the thoughts that swam through his mind and brought himself back to the present.

Naruto set aside one of his darker outfits and tucked the rest into his pack. _'I can't be seen dressed in orange or else I will be recognized by anyone who sees me.' _he thought.

"**You surprise me, brat. I never thought you would have used logic to reach that conclusion."**

Naruto ignored the sarcastic comment and continued to pack his things. He folded his other clothing items as small as he could before cramming them into the bottom of his pack. Once he was finished with that,he marked it off his mental checklist.

"What else do I need?" he asked himself.

He raced into his tiny kitchen and pulled out half a dozen containers of instant ramen. _'I can eat six bowls of ramen for breakfast, but I can't just leave without bringing food. I guess this will have to work.'_

After putting the food into his bag, Naruto discovered that he had little room for anything else. After adding a toothbrush, a hairbrush, two spare pairs of contacts, and a picture of himself with his sensei and team-mates, his bag was full. He clipped it shut and set it against the corner of his wall.

As he sat on the bed, a feeling of nervousness wormed its way into his stomach and settled like a lead weight. He felt sick and his mouth was dry. When he looked down at his hands clenched tightly in his lap, he was startled to find that they were shaking badly. It felt like ants were crawling in his pants.

He was too anxious to sit still but he didn't want to get up and walk around either.

"Oh man. I'm going nuts and I still have plenty of time before I have to leave!" he exclaimed loudly.

He put his head in his hands and curled up into a ball on the bed. _'Its going to be a really, really, really long night...'_

**Away from the Hidden Leaf Village...**

_'Chakra. Small amount. Location, outside. Distance, twenty meters away from currect location. Direction, opposite of current location.' _Itachi looked up from the book he was reading.

Across the room, Shizuka had stopped polishing her kunai. She met his gaze directly, telling him that she sensed the energy as well.

"Shizuka. You need to get your things together. Tomorrow we leave before dawn. We can't leave any traces of our presence so get started now."

Itachi tucked his novel away into one of the many hidden pockets within his cloak and stood up. His mind drifted to Naruto._'What would he be doing right now? Would he be nervous waiting to leave? Would he be careful enough to keep himself hidden?'_

Unanswered questions taunted him from the back of his mind and he had more that couldn't be answered by anyone other than Naruto. The kid had been only seven when he'd left. Itachi was curious to see how Naruto had developed while he was away.

His hand clenched into a fist by his side unconsciously. "Orochimaru..." he hissed under breath. It was nice to have someone to direct his anger at even though there was no one to blame but himself. _'Back then I was foolish. I was seventeen years old when I left, and I was so naive to think that I could take Orochimaru down by myself. Even now at my current skill level, I wouldn't last long against him...I should have just stayed in Konoha. I shouldn't have...'_

If it hadn't been for the self-control that was often associated with an experienced shinobi, he would have flinched when he felt something warm touch him. Despite his initial sense of alarm, he felt a surge of pride towards Shizuka. After all, it wasn't every day that the average genin could sneak up on him without his knowledge. Then again, Shizuka wasn't an average genin.

"Are you ever going to talk again, Shizuka?" he asked, turning to face her.

It was a rhetorical question, of course, but nevertheless he hoped for an answer. Shizuka's pink eyes seemed to mock him.

"No, huh? I guess this means I'll be having a lot of conversations with myself after we meet Naruto."

The girl smiled at the humor in Itachi's voice. _'I wish I could talk but I just can't make myself do it. It's like this wall blocks all the words I want to say. It isn't a big wall, just very thick. But...I try Itachi...I wish you could know how much I try...'_

Itachi noticed Shizuka's change of clothes. She was now wearing chain mail, a skin-tight black t-shirt over it, and a loose gray shirt that ended just below her mid-riff. A weapon belt slung around her waist held four pouches. Three of them contained shuriken, which she preferred over kunai, and the fourth one was a small first-aid kit. More medical supplies were sealed in several scrolls attached to the front. Black shorts came to rest just above her knees. Her hitae-ate was back in its original place, but her mask was down by her neck. Bright pink eyes studied him intensely.

She radiated confidence and her current posture seemed to say " I'm ready whenever you are." He relied on her body language and eyes to decipher her wordless requests. It had been difficult when she was younger, but that was two years ago. Shizuka, although only eleven years old, was very independent, very reliable, and very resourceful. She found ways to communicate with Itachi easily.

"Right then. You're ready to go. We are to meet Naruto at the center of the Konoha forest at four, but we'll be there early of course. We have a very small time frame for this because the ANBU Black Ops from the Hidden Leaf Village are especially good. As soon as we leave this hide-out you'll need to mask your chakra signature as best as you can. If your kekkei genkai-" Shizuka's pink eyes darkened momentarily. "- gives you any trouble, let me know immediately."

Itachi sighed. He wasn't so sure if he was ready to take Naruto under his wing anymore, but the kid needed training and there was no one else he could turn to safely. He was positive that even the third Hokage didn't know about Naruto's sharingan. He also knew that Naruto had changed. He wasn't the same hyperactive little pipsqueak he'd once been. There was more to the genin now, even if he managed to keep his true emotions hidden.

Distressed, he ran a hand through his black hair. _'Maybe it's time to cut some of it off.' _he thought as he tied it back. It wasn't too long, but he could put it in a ponytail if he wanted to.

Shizuka left and came back with a small scroll which she slipped into her belt beside the others. She looked at him again. "I'm ready now." her eyes told him.

"Okay.You'll probably be able to sense Naruto's chakra before we reach our destination. He has the same kekkei genkai that I do, Shizuka-" he paused to let his eyes bleed into the sharingan temporarily "- but he isn't going to hurt you, I promise. Now, go get ready for bed. I know its only 7-o-clock but we have to be awake early and we've got a long day of travel ahead of us. Eat something too. Not ramen. We won't have time to eat in the morning."

Itachi had already sealed everything he owned into a scroll. It was easier to carry around and lighter too. Beneath his plain black cloak he wore dark boots, loose dark gray pants tucked into his boots, thick chain mail, and a blue shirt with the Uchiha symbol on the back.

He had weapons on him also. His boot had a blade that could slide out by exerting a certain amount of chakra and the weapon holster attached to his right leg was full of kunai. A separate pouch on the side held paper bombs. Another weapon holster on his left leg extended down to several inches above his knee. It held three special kunai that could be enlarged by pushing chakra into them. Their size could be manipulated by the amount of chakra pushed into them, but they could never fully retract to their original size which was that of an ordinary kunai.

With nothing left to do except breath and think, Itachi decided to sleep. He would need a little shut-eye for what was to come the following morning.

**With Hinata...**

Hinata Hyuga pushed a strand of dark hair behind her ear and took a deep breath. With a trembling hand, she pushed open a door that lead to the main Hyuga household. The lights were off inside and the hallways were void of movement. Everyone appeared to be sleeping.

_'They didn't even miss me...not even a little. Where I'll be going tomorrow, I will be wanted. I will finally be able to prove myself to Naruto. When I return...I'll show everyone that I am not as weak and helpless as they think I am. Even you, father...' _

Stiffling a yawn, Hinata shut the door behind her and crept stealthily through a sprawling maze of hallways and outdoor corridor to her room. She wasn't prepared for what was about to happen the moment she slid the door to her room open.

Hiashi Hyuga was sitting on a cot where Hinata slept. The room was pitch dark but she could see just fine. When he saw her, the frown on his face grew deeper and he stood up. Hinata felt her heart-beat pick up speed as she looked at the cold fury burning in her father's eyes.

"You were gone all night and come back now? Do you have any idea what time it is?" his voice was calm and steady, and it only provoked Hinata's fear even more.

Hinata swallowed and looked at the man before her. She was terrified. Her fear of him was growing larger by the second.

"Its late, otou-san." she managed to squeeze out in a tiny voice.

Her answer seemed to surprise Hiashi. It looked like he hadn't even expected Hinata to reply to his question at all. In fact, she was still making eye contact with him although he could see that his daughter was scared out of her mind.

"You may be inferior to Hanabi, and to Neji Hyuga as well though he is not of main house-hold blood, but you still have rules to which you will abide by. I will not tolerate any disobedience. Do you understand?"

Hinata poked her index fingers together nervously and tried not to hyperventilate. It was like she had forgotten how to breathe. Her father's stare grew more intense and she felt herself shrinking away under his powerful gaze. It was then that she realized Hiashi had activated his byakugan.

"W-w-what are y-you doing?" she gasped out.

She didn't need to ask. She knew well enough. He was seeing her, looking _through _her clothes, at her _naked _body. It was a dark secret Hinata had kept hidden within her since she was a child. After her mother died, Hiashi had starting _doing _things to her that no father should ever do to their daughter, so she'd done the only thing she could think of. She said nothing. If she remained silent all the time then no one would ever bother to ask her anything and the secret would be safe. She was positive that no one would ever take her word over her father's; he was too well-respected in Konoha to ever be suspected of doing something so sick to his own child.

"P-please...N-n-no...Don't do that." Hinata crossed her arms self-consciously over her chest but she knew that her father could still see.

"Shut the door and come here."

Knees shaking so badly she thought she would fall, Hinata obeyed and came to the bedside.

"P-p-lease...d-don't do this."she begged

"Take off your shirt."

When she didn't, Hiashi grew angry. He pushed Hinata roughly down onto the bed and removed her jacket quickly.

"You will not disobey me again, Hinata. Hopefully you will learn your lesson this time."

His voice sounded strange to Hinata. It was deep, throaty, and filled with lust. Hot tears cascaded down her cheeks and she couldn't escape what was about to happen. Closing her eyes to block out the pain, she let herself drift away into her own world until it was over.

When Hiashi was done, he stood up and quickly redressed himself. He left the room without saying a single word as though nothing had ever happened. As soon as Hinata could no longer sense his presence, she let out a sob and curled herself into a naked ball on her bed.

She shuddered and a wave of pain assaulted her lower limbs. She could still feel his hands on her, trailing down, touching her in places with a tenderness that she loathed. It was sick, she knew, and it was wrong, but it had always been this way since her mother died when she was four. She sat up and felt something sticky between her legs. After letting a few more tears slip out, she showered and put on pajamas. Even the promising adventures of the next day with Naruto could not erase the deep wounds she felt inside. Somehow she managed to fall into a fitful slumber.

Hinata woke up two hours early. The memory of the night before rushed in at her, but she choked it down. She was still a little sore from the ordeal, but she refused to acknowledge the pain. _' I can't let Naruto see me this way. Not after all he's been through. I have to be strong. I have to...for him.'_

She dressed quietly and took in consideration to the events of the day. She chose a dark blue jacket over her typical beige one and slipped on matching blue capri pants. A bra and a black shirt went next. She combed her hair and thought about what to do next.

_'I'm not bringing anything. I don't want to be reminded of a place where I'm not wanted.'_

After having second thoughts, she decided to pack only the bare essentials in a small knapsack. She brought two extra sets of clothes, an extra set of sandals, a toothbrush, a hairbrush, and, after careful consideration, a picture of Hanabi. Her younger sister was the only one who ever bothered to stick up for her sometimes. Hinata didn't want to leave without something to remember her by.

Another glance at the clock told her she needed to leave soon. She was surprised to see how much time had passed while she'd been getting her things together.

Hinata made her bed, ignoring the stains on the sheets. She didn't want to be reminded of what had happened. She slung on the knapsack, scanned the hallways quickly with her byakugan, and then slipped silently through her bedroom window.

**With Naruto...**

_' Five steps forward. Turn around. Five steps back. My room is five steps across...' _Naruto thought absently as he came face to face with the south wall of his room...again.

"**Stop pacing, brat. It's getting on my nerves."**

"**That's not as easy as it sounds, Kyuubi. I can't help it."**

Naruto sighed and turned around again, but he didn't continue his routine. Instead he looked down and began to study the swirly designs on the wooden floor patterns.

"**The way you kept at it, you would have worn a grove into the floorboards. Besides, have you looked at the clock?"**

"**No. Why?"**

"**See for yourself."**

Naruto looked at the clock and nearly fell over. It was 3:30 in the morning. He had spent the entire night pacing across his room which meant he hadn't gotten any sleep at all.

"**If you don't get a move on you're going to be late, brat."**

Even as the nine-tailed fox spoke, Naruto was running frantically around his room. He hoisted his backpack over one arm, stuffed his hitae-ate into his pocket, and looked at his empty apartment one last time before jumping out his open window into the still-dark skies.

The moonlight helped him navigate through the emptiest streets he could find. There were still quite a few late-night drinkers staggering home alongside the roads. Naruto made his way carefully, using the natural shadows cast from street-lamps and buildings to his advantage. _'I want to use the fox's chakra, but I can't risk anyone detecting it. I'll just have to use my own speed and hurry my butt up. Man I'm tired.'_

Using the sharingan would have definitely aided him, but Naruto couldn't allow himself to be distracted from reaching his destination.

"I'm gonna have to do this on my own..." he muttered to himself. "...just like I've done for most of my life."

He was a little surprised to see Hinata waiting just outside the entrance to the Konoha Forest. The pale moonlight washed over her thin form, causing a lump to form in Naruto's throat. _'She looks really...she looks beautiful.' _he thought in awe.

"You look nice, Hinata." he whispered as he approached her. "How did you know where I would be, though?"

A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she answered. " I u-used m-my byakugan."

"Good thinking. Come on, lets go before anyone sees us standing here. I know the exact location where we are supposed to meet."

Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand without thinking, causing the young girl to squeak softly and turn a shade of red that would have made a tomato jealous. Together they ran through the thick coniferous forest. With the pale light of the moon blocked by the tall trees, it was much darker than it had previously been outside. When Naruto looked up, he could see patches of pitch-black sky sprinkled with stars. _'I haven't felt this peaceful in awhile.'_

He stopped momentarily to drink the sight in when he suddenly realized that he was still holding Hinata's hand. The girl beside him looked like she was about to faint.

"Oh Hinata I'm sorry." he released her hand, surprised to find himself missing the warmth. "You should of told me earlier so I wouldn't have dragged you all over the place."

"It's all right, really. I-" Hinata blushed again in the darkness.

"You know..." he replied, allowing himself to become lost in the beauty of the night. "...imagine if I could activate my sharingan at will...I'd be able to see the sky so much more clearly."

Hinata listened to his words, allowing the depth of them to sink into her. She wasn't sure when she had come to know this other side of Naruto. The genin who appeared so bright and happy on the outside hid his pain beneath a deceptive mask. But that mask had cracks in it; she could see through them easily although she'd never known Naruto to be patient. It was more like the frustration and loneliness from years of being hated, mistreated, and ignored had chipped away at his cheerful personality, festering like an open wound inside his soul until it had taken over. Even if he refused to let anyone see how he really felt, she could see his pain.

"Yes. I think that i-it would be. We'd better hurry."

**With Itachi...**

"Shizuka. Stay hidden, alright. I know Naruto is coming, but there is someone with him. Mask your chakra." Itachi warned although he knew Shizuka didn't need a reminder.

_'He couldn't have gotten caught but just anyone. Naruto is better than that, I know. The person with him has to be familiar. There aren't any spikes of chakra, no warning signs of a fight. Still...' _the missing-nin thought as he let himself become one with the darkness of night.

Itachi could feel Shizuka's eyes on his back. It was disconcerting to know that she was able to detect his position although he could mask his chakra as easy as he could breath or blink. In fact, Shizuka had only been an academy student when he'd first met her, and even then she'd seemed to possess talent and a will to learn. Talent and determination weren't her only assets. _' She has that kekkei genkai...the ryuugan.'_

He didn't know much about the ryuugan. The strange kekkei genkai had not been mentioned in any of the hundreds of books he had read. The most information he'd been able to gather, and he wasn't sure how accurate it was, was from an old scroll found a few miles away from the smoldering wreckage that had one been Shizuka's home.

According to the scroll, the ryuugan was an extremely rare and unpredictable kekkei genkai found only in the Hidden Shadow Village and the Hidden Sun Village. Even both parents with the blood-line trait could not guarantee it in their child. Two parents without the kekkei genkai could pass it on to their child. The ryuugan was said to give a tremendous boost of power to all jutsu involving elemental dragons. ( for example: water style, water dragon jutsu). Although it required large amounts of chakra, it could act as a sort of radar in detecting poison and other deadly chemicals in the air.

In short, the ryuugan was comparable to the Byakugan with only one major difference. The ryuugan could effectively prevent an enemy from activating their own kekkei genkai by interfering with the person's chakra system. Unfortunately, this ability was rumored to be incontrollable. It seemed that it was a natural defense of the body and learning to block out the instinct was unheard of. In addition, the ryuugan was integrated with the chakra system of the wielder, making it extremely difficult to control or suppress chakra for even short periods of time. Shizuka, Itachi learned, was no exception.

_Flashback..._

"_You have improved, Uchiha. I give you that much credit...to be able to activate the Mangekyo Sharingan and use Tsukiyomi, even within the presence of one of the most secretly coveted kekkei genkai in this land. Shizuka, is it? ...You interest me greatly, little girl. You will come with me." Orochimaru said slowly as if he took every word into consideration._

_'Kekkei genkai? Shizuka? What is he talking about?' Itachi was confused._

"_You... leave her the hell alone." he moved in front of the frightened little girl he'd accidentally brought with him into the nightmare of Tsukiyomi._

_A fiery pain was stabbing him right between the eyes. He felt sick, nauseous, like someone had been hitting him over the head again and again with some hard, blunt object. Bile rose in his throat and he swallowed, grimacing at the acidic taste in his mouth. White-hot agony poured through his veins._

"_Damn it!" Itachi doubled over, holding his head in his hands. "What the hell did you do to me, Orochimaru?"_

_"You have Shizuka to thank for the pain of casting this genjutsu. For now her life is with you. __She better be alive when I run into you again or I will kill you. Well..." the yellow-eyed man chuckled softly. " You are both going to die by my hand any way, no matter what you do."_

_Itachi dropped to his knees, clutching his head as hot pain lanced through his body. It had suddenly increased by a ten-fold. White spots danced before his eyes as the mangekyo sharingan deactivated by some unknown force._

_'The pain.' he thought weakly. ' I can't focus my chakra because of the pain. I can't concentrate...I can't control my chakra. Is there really a blood-line trait in existence that can do that?'_

_Orochimaru left riding on the head of an enormous snake, abandoning Itachi and Shizuka with a few final words of farewell._

_Itachi's hands dug into the soft earth below him, feeling helpless and angry for exposing a little girl to a world designed for pain and torture. Gritting his teeth against the pain that threatened to send him over the edge to unconsciousness, he released the powerful genjutsu._

_End Flashback..._

A nearly imperceptible nod from Shizuka told him that she was alright for the moment, but there was no way to predict what could happen in the next minute or two. He relied on the girl's signals to tell him if she was having trouble.

His eyes blazed to crimson and black as he watched the approaching figures in the distance. He detected two separate chakras. One was Naruto's; he could tell by the bright red chakra that swirled within his regular blue chakra. There was nothing unusual about the figure beside Naruto as far as he could tell. The chakra source was normal, if not a bit small for a person.

Naruto and a girl he had never seen before burst into the clearing and stopped.

"This should be the place." Naruto replied to Hinata. "Itachi-sensei?"

The suffix sounded strange to Itachi's ears. _'Its been a long time since anyone has called me that. years was too long, Naruto. I should have stayed or taken you with me.'_

Just then a strange sensation passed through his body. He was being watched by someone. He could feel it, like someone had magically turned on a light in the darkened forest.

"Naruto. There." Hinata pointed at a blurry shadow.

"Itachi-sensei?"

The Uchiha stood and moved into sight.

"I told you to come alone, Naruto. Who did you bring with you?" Itachi asked sternly, watching the dark-haired figure fidgeting nervously beside Naruto.

A small frown marred his otherwise perfect features as Hinata stepped forward and her pale eyes were revealed to him.

"M-my name..." she swallowed and took a deep breath before continuing. " My name is Hinata Hyuga. I...asked if I could c-come w-with Naruto t-to train with you. My f-father..." she stopped again.

It was hard for Hinata to continue. Just the mention of her father brought back the memories of the night before. Uncharacteristically, she was ashamed of herself for letting him rape her. _'It doesn't matter now. I'm not going to go back ever. I won't ever live with that man again.'_

"It's alright, Hinata." Naruto placed a hand on the genin's shoulder and pulled her just a little closer.

"Her father, " Naruto spoke vehemently. ", wants nothing to do with her anymore. He says she is weak and worthless. She isn't. I want her to come with me and you. He hurt her." he spat the last part out with disgust and met Itachi's eyes.

A silent fury burned brightly in Naruto's red eyes. Itachi looked over at Hinata again, taking in her form. Even from far away he could tell she was only minutes away from crying by her body language. He hadn't expected this to happen. _'Hinata means something to him, its obvious. And it doesn't look like he'll take no for an answer. I don't want to see anyone cry again...not after Sasuke.'_

"Very well then. Its not like you can go back to the Hidden Leaf Village, Hinata, so you will come with us. However, you must deactivate your kekkei genkai before we can leave."

Hinata didn't question how Itachi knew about her activated byakugan. She made a hand seal and the veins around her eyes receded. Naruto squeezed her shoulder lightly and gave her a reassuring glance.

A piercing scream filled the night, drawing everyone's attention to a spot behind Itachi.

"Shizuka!" Itachi disappeared in a blur of black and reappeared with a small girl in his arms.

Naruto and Hinata ran towards the missing-nin, who had switched to carrying the child on his back. Her arms dangled loosely around his neck.

"Kuso." he swore. " I don't have time to explain what happened. We need to get out of here now. Just follow me and don't perform any jutsu at all. It will make our chakra spike." Itachi emphasized the part about jutsu and they all began to run.

Using chakra to stick themselves to tree branches, Hinata and Naruto followed Itachi through the thick forest. They were still a ways behind with the Uchiha even though it seemed like he was trying to pace himself enough for them to keep up.

Naruto's leg muscles ached and his breath came in sharp, panting gasps. They had been on the run for an hour now and his stamina was decreasing with every passing second. The sky was still dark but the chilly night air no longer bothered him. He could feel that Hinata was slowing down behind him. He paused on a tree branch to look back and instantly regretting it as his legs started to cramp up.

"H-Hinata." he said as the shy girl came to rest beside him.

"Get on my back. I'll carry you the rest of the way."

Hinata's cheeks were flushed and sweaty. A while ago she had taken off her jacket and tied it around her waist. Suddenly self-conscious, she folded her arms across her chest.

"I-I...d-don't know."

"You're exhausted. I can use a little bit of the fox's chakra. We need to go though. Come on."

Hinata stepped forward and, with butterflies in her stomach, wrapped her arms and legs awkwardly around his neck and torso. Naruto hoisted her onto his back. _'She hardly weighs anything.'_ he thought as he adjusted her body. An emotion sparked through him but he couldn't identify it.

"Ouch. Don't wrap your legs around me, Hinata. Here." He pushed her legs down and held the back of her thighs. "Ride piggy back or I won't be able to run properly. Hold on tight."

_'Don't faint, Hinata. Whatever you do, don't faint.' _the thought became a mantra inside her head.

Naruto took off in a burst of speed, faster than he had previously been going. The cool night air whipped at their cheeks, hair, and clothes as Naruto increased his speed even more. Hinata noticed but she was more preoccupied with the warmth that the body below her was giving off. She rested her head against Naruto's left shoulder and closed her eyes.

He could feel the red chakra swirling near the bottoms of his feet. Itachi was only a few yards ahead of him now. When the Uchiha finally stopped with Shizuka still in his arms, Naruto let out a gasping breath. His lungs screamed for more air then he could take in and his legs felt like wet noodles.

"Naruto. Hold on to my arm and I'll teleport us to another location. Its no longer safe for us to be near Konoha." Itachi explained calmly.

Naruto stared at Itachi, who didn't seem fazed in the least about the long run they had just endured. He shifted the sleeping Hinata higher on his back before touching a palm to his sensei's shoulder. Without a single hand sign, the group disappeared without even a puff of smoke.

**I was expecting this chapter to be longer, but it just didn't turn out that way. I have no idea how angry some people will be about Hinata's father in this fanfic. What I will say is that what happened to Hinata wasn't simply for entertainment. It serves a purpose later on so please don't be too mad at me. I live for your reviews. Oh yeah, If any of you are Sasu-Naru fans ( I'm mostly Sasu-Naru, but Naru-Hina is perfect for this story so please spare me, Sasu-Naru lovers ), check out the AMV on youtube called Sasu-Naru Tribute: Listen to Your heart. There isn't any yaoi, only implied fluff. I thought it was cute. There is a Naru-Hina one too.**


	13. Insomnia

**Bottlecaps creeps in slowly, eyeballing the fans who've waited more than patiently for the next chapter: Please don't kill me. I know its a little short!! I'm sorry!! I swear I'll update faster now//throws chapter at fans and runs away screaming//**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own the plot and Shizuka, which, unfortunately, are not going to pay my bills. : (**

"_**Italic bold" **_**demon thoughts**

"**Bold" human/demon communication**

"_italic" thoughts_

"regular font" human/human communication

**Chapter 13. Insomnia and More Memories.**

With Kiba...

Kiba lie awake, hands folded behind his head. The ceiling above him wasn't the least bit interesting but sleep continued to evade him successfully. With nothing else to do but stare at the roof over his head, he did just that and contemplated the events of the past three days.

The incident involving Hinata perturbed him greatly. She hadn't spoken to him at all about what had happened. He doubted that she had spoken at all since then. Even Shino, his usually stoic teammate, had spent the last few minutes of their training session trying to communicate with her without success. Kiba was at a loss.

_'I don't know why she's like that. I swear if her father did anything to hurt her I will make sure he pays. I just wish Hinata would talk to so I could know what happened.' _

"I really hope that Naruto was able to help her. She likes him, I know. I wonder..." he trailed off and turned to face the wall.

Squinting, he read the old clock attached to the far corner of his room. It was well into Saturday morning; 4: 15, to be exact. He sighed into his mattress. Akamaru whimpered, sensing his owner's distress. The genin gave a half-hearted smile and reached down to stroke the nin-ken's fur.

"I don't know why, Akamaru, but it feels like something is going to happen." Kiba admitted, rolling to face the ceiling once again.

Akamaru yipped sharply in response. "You too, huh?" Kiba questioned, earning another bark from his companion.

The genin ran a hand through his tangled brown hair and heaved another sigh. He sat up to face his window, gazing apprehensively heavenward. The faintest hues of dawn were already visible on the far horizon. A sudden sense of foreboding sent goose bumps crawling over his arms. He rubbed his skin and shivered.

With a groan he shut his gritty eyes and plunged beneath the covers, willing sleep to come. A throaty growl came from Akamaru. He began nipping at his owner's fingers until Kiba pushed him away and sat up.

"Ouch, Akamaru. That hurt. What is it, boy?"

A quick scan of the room revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Kiba shook his head in disapproval and lay down once again. Even with the eerie feeling still present in the room, he drifted away into an uneasy slumber.

With Sasuke...

A cry escaped Sasuke's lips as he thrashed beneath the covers of his bed. Both the sheet and the comforter were damp with sweat; the genin's body was slick with it. He jolted awake in a panic, gripping the covers so tightly that his knuckles blanched. Panting and wide-eyed in fear, he kicked the tangled mess of blankets to the far edge of the bead.

Much to his dismay the genin found himself still trembling after several deep breaths. He closed his eyes and exhaled shakily. The nightmare was still fresh in his mind. Vivid distortions of past memories blazed beneath his eyelids.

"Damn it." he whispered as the nightmare came back to him.

_Memory/Nightmare...3RD P.O.V._

_He was six years old again, running through the dark forest that served to protect his home against enemy invasion. The blood on his hands had been washed away by sweat and tears, but the tears couldn't erase what he had seen...The bodies...His entire family wiped out of existence. And his brother...His brother had been the slayer of them all._

_The pain inside was overwhelming. He HAD to get it out somehow. He screamed until his throat felt raw and then he screamed again. An unseen tree root became his new source of pain as his foot caught on the small hollow between it and the ground. For a moment he couldn't breathe after he collided with the cold forest floor._

_Star-bursts flashed in eyes and a pain shot through his left shoulder. The trees around him were too bright. They dazzled him...It hurt to look at the sea of colors swimming beneath the heavens. Pushing his small hands against the ground, he forced himself to his feet and began running once more._

_Suddenly Sasuke stood before a heap of burning wreckage that blazed crimson against the night sky. The remains of his home dissolved into ashes carried away by the wind. A strange odor filled the air...The scent of blood-soaked dirt and rotting corpses...Of carnage and things not meant to be seen by a six-year-old._

_There was a sharp pain radiating from his shoulder. He couldn't help but wince as the fabric of his shirt, stiff with dried blood, brushed against the miniature needle embedded in the muscle. The tip was barely visible in the pale moonlight but it became quicksilver on the watery beams._

"_Sasuke!"_

_An older version of himself appeared against the now-smouldering ruins. Uchiha Itachi dropped to one knee and held out his arms._

"_Sasuke. It wasn't me! I didn't do this."_

"_You... killed them!!" Sasuke heard the fear in his voice. "You killed them all. Why'd you do it?! Why'd you do it, Itachi!"_

_An expression of horror crossed the teenager's face._

"_What? Sasuke...No! You can't possibly think I would have done that!" Itachi gestured to the smoking remains of their home._

"_You told me yourself. You said you wanted the...the...You aren't my brother!" Sasuke declared._

_He blinked once and suddenly reverted to his older self, watching his parents die again at the hands of Itachi._

"_Noooo!" he screamed. Blood spurted towards him, painting a slick red mess on his face. He wiped frantically at his face as if the life-giving liquid possessed acidic qualities._

_A thin, grating laugh issued from his older brother. "You're too late, Sasssuke. Your mother and father are already gone." the Uchiha said as he emerged from the shadows._

_Misty red film crept over Sasuke's feet, solidifying into dark droplets as it made contact with his skin. The fog grew thicker and thicker until it looked like a floating sea of blood. A ragged scream tore itself from his throat._

_He looked down and saw the redness dripping off of his shaking hands. His heart thundered madly in his chest. The taste in his mouth made him want to be sick. He blinked and he was six years old again._

"_It is your fault, Sasssuke. If you were stronger than your parents would still be alive. You will never be as strong as I am. Their deaths lie on your shoulder. They were all so easy to kill, Sasssuke. I suspect they never thought that I would be the one to send them to their graves. Ha-ha-ha."_

_"No. No, it isn't. Its not my fault. It can't be my fault." he heard himself cry out desperately._

_Sasuke brought his hands to his head and covered his ears, but the laughter seemed to echo all around him._

"_It's your fault...your fault...your fault." the words relentlessly assaulted his mind._

_Suddenly the older man was standing before him. Sasuke felt one hand wrap around his neck and lift his small frame off of the ground. Piercing red eyes paralized him on the spot. He hung lip, no longer struggling to get away from his brother._

"_Y-You killed them?! All?" Sasuke's voice shook with rage, but it was mostly fear that made his voice tremble._

"_Yes. I did. Even your mother. Our mother. Its only you and me left now, Sasuke."_

"_But why?!" tears flooded the little boy's cheeks._

"_They...were weak. I suppose...I shall let you live. Run and cling to your pathetic existance. We will meet again."_

Itachi chuckled darkly and threw the crying child onto the ground. _Sasuke got to his feet and tried to run, but his body froze up. He stood, trembling from head to toe, crying as he faced his older brother._

"_I said go! Now! Before I change my mind!" Itachi said and in the blink of an eye a tiny senbon needle embedded itself in his shoulder._

_End Memory/Dream..._

Sasuke's eyes shot open, heart pounding wildly in his chest. He could hear the pulse of blood roaring in his ears. Rising fear stole his breath away.

"Damn it." he swore while releasing the pillow from its white-knuckled grip.

Swiping at his tears before they could fall, he ambled blindly to the kitchen and felt for a switch on the wall. Once his hand touched the cool panel, he flicked it on, flooding the room with dim light from several low-wattage bulbs. In the lackluster glow that washed over the room., he realized how vulnerable he felt. _' This quiet...This light...Its too much like...'_

Sasuke swallowed nervously, clenching and unclenching his hands. Sudden anger spread through him like rapid fire and he lashed out at the nearest thing he could. The plastic light switch snapped easily under the crushing force of his fist. Blood splattered onto the carpet as darkness enveloped the room once more.

"Damn it." he repeated softly.

The faucet sputtered into life and he slowly rinsed his hand under the lukewarm water. Obsidian eyes reflected the pinkish water swirling down the drain. They narrowed as strains of redness clung to the sides of the porcelain sink. For a brief moment he was transported to the past, the unholy smell of death and blood-soaked earth crashing down on him in waves. An uneasy weight settled in the genin's stomach like lead.

He suppressed the urge to vomit but couldn't stop the bile rising in his throat. He coughed and spit into the sink. Grimacing, he wiped his mouth with the back of one hand. The bitter taste refused to leave even after a thorough tooth-brushing.

'_I thought I would have been used to the sight of blood by now. That mission in the Land of Waves should have taught me something. Sakura and Naruto don't know anything about what I go through. The only one who might have the slightest idea would be Kakashi-sensei because he was my guardian for three years.'_

"Three years...All that time has passed by in flash. And still...Still." _' Weak...I'm still too weak to take on him...Why am I thinking about this now?' _

Once again, the Uchiha found himself walking down the narrow steps to the family shrine. It hadn't been that long since his last visit. The apartment had only been temporary until he turned fourteen and the Uchiha Estate was made legally his by the third Hokage. One year had passed since then, yet most of the rooms in the mansion were still empty.

The main rooms, like the kitchen, the smallest bathroom out of the three, the living room, and his own room were cleaned daily. Several areas in the mansion had been locked; ghosts of the past had proven difficult to ignore. The other rooms couldn't be used; if so, what for? Sasuke was the only one currently living in the Uchiha Estate.

Torches lit along the walls helped him find his way down the winding steps. The hallway opened up ahead of him to reveal a shrine. He had made himself familiar to the ancient place, and consequently, the room had become more of a private sanctuary than a place to learn.

'_This is the only place where I can still remember...everything.'_

Closing his eyes, Sasuke concentrated on breathing in sync with his heartbeat. In his newly relaxed state, the fonder memories of his childhood slid to the surface of his mind as easily as water over smooth rocks. Sometimes, if he tried hard enough, he could lose himself in them. The colors...the images...the smiles and laughter of innocent days. Minutes flew by. Hours passed in an instant. Time held meaning like a sieve held water; the very thought seemed senseless.

Waking up from the mental movies was always difficult because the pressures of life assaulted him relentlessly afterwards. This time, however, he allowed himself to just float in the dark void. He didn't want to see himself smiling up at his older brother. It was too painful to think about the days before the Uchiha Massacre.

Two obsidian eyes cracked open and watched misshapen shadows dance across the low stone ceiling. Firelight reflected off his eyes like pools of amber. He sighed softly and raised himself into a sitting position on the floor. _'This isn't going to do me any good. Why bother reminiscing when it can't change anything? It can't bring my parents back. It can't restore the clan. Why am I doing this to myself?'_

He stood up and brushed a little dirt off of his boxers. " Its like I come here to remember something only to want to forget it all in the end. Its so futile...To think I can gain strength by mere memories...I wonder...what my aniki would say if he could see me now." the bitterness in his voice was indistinguishable and for a moment the Sharingan flashed in the darkness.

It wasn't long before his eyes adjusted to the dim light. He left the dusty room with all of its memories behind, intent on coming to terms with the ghosts of his past. _'What difference would it make? To Itachi, I am still too weak. To myself, I am too weak.'_

"It still hurts." he realized out loud. "The pain is still here...even after all these years."

Suppressing a yawn, he stretched tiredly and made for his bedroom. Nearly and hour had passed since his visit to the family shrine; it startled him slightly to see the glowing digits from across the room. It was almost five-o-clock. A sudden thought wormed its way into his head. _'I have training with Naruto today. If I want to get there before the idiot does, then I need to leave soon. He was definitely hiding something from me the other day. Maybe I can learn why he's been acting so strange lately.'_

"So much for getting any sleep." he said as he stepped under the shower spray. Hot water washed away any remaining traces of sleep from his body. With some satisfaction he noted that his muscles were no longer sore from the intense training two days before. Obliviously running in circles wasn't exactly the best way to increase one's stamina, but his awareness during the situation had slipped._' I still can't believe that Naruto figured it out before I did. He doesn't seem so perceptive outwardly, but maybe I judged him too quickly. This teamwork thing...Hmm.'_

Fifteen minutes later he was locking the door behind him, a piece of buttered toast in one hand. The morning air was crisp and refreshing against his skin. A waning moon shone palely against the ever-lightening sky. In the distance a fiery reddish orange ball was just visible above the tree-line. The sun wasn't out yet, but it would be soon. He finished his small breakfast quickly and set out towards the training grounds at a brisk pace.

With Naruto...

"Naruto. Hold onto my arm and I'll teleport us to another location. Its no longer safe to stay near Konoha.." Itachi explained calmly.

Naruto stared at Itachi, who didn't seem fazed by the long run they had just endured. He shifted the sleeping Hinata higher on his back before touching a palm to his sensei's shoulder. They disappeared without even a puff of smoke.

He kept his eyes shut against a kaleidoscope of colors that swarmed around him. ._'It wasn't like this when Kakashi-sensei teleported me to the bridge because I was late for training. Maybe the distance has something to do with it. Maybe the distance we're traveling is farther compared to the one Kakashi and I made.'_

The genin succumbed to a flood of relief after his feet touched solid ground once more. He sighed and sank wearily to his knees, blinking against the gritty feel in his eyes.

"Naruto? Are you alright?" the Uchiha watched his new charge partially collapse.

Dull red eyes stared up at him, exhaustion reflecting both inside and in the large bags beneath them. _'So I was right.' _Itachi smiled grimly. _'He did stay up all night. It doesn't appear that he's gotten any sleep at all.'_

A wavering voice spoke then. "N-Naruto...What's wrong?" Hinata asked, her stutter briefly forgotten at the end.

Neither of them were expecting the kyuubi's container to reply and all was quiet for what seemed like an eternity.

"I'm..." Naruto began slowly, turning his cloudy gaze towards the kunoichi. "...Tired, Hinata. I'm just tired."

If it hadn't been for the unspoken rule that all Uchiha Clan members were supposed to be the epitome of uttermost dignity and respect, Itachi's mouth would have been hanging three inches above the ground. Lavender eyes widened slightly at the familiar words. He'd said the very same thing the night before. Hinata chewed on her bottom lip and poked her fingers together nervously.

Naruto's voice rung hollowly in the air. The pain evident in his words was present even more so in his newly withdrawn appearance. Burgundy eyes glassy with unshed tears, unruly blond hair, and a smile that had never seemed more fake turned themselves to Itachi.

The Uchiha stiffened reflexively. He felt like he was being shown an epiphany. Naruto's despairingly blank face cut at his heart with the searing pain of guilt. _'Its not right...This new Naruto...It isn't right. Why did I leave him? I never should have left. I never...'_ Black eyes bled into the Sharingan, activated by the tidal wave of raw emotion flooding through him.

Itachi's free hand clenched into a trembling fist at his side. _'Calm down and control yourself. You can't deal with the problem if you aren't in control of yourself.'_ He released the tension bit by bit, letting it go until there was nothing left but a calm sense of duty.

"...N-Naruto..." Hinata stumbled over the name.

She fought against the chains of fear that held her captive. _' Naruto would never hurt me. I've got to do something. I need to show him it'll be okay.' _She wanted to reach down and hug him, but images of an angry Hiashi tormented her mind, stopping her every time. _' I can do this. I can.'_

Slowly, she crouched down beside her suffering comrade and touched his shoulder. Naruto didn't respond. His distant red eyes observed the ground silently.

The kunoichi inhaled deeply. "It's going to be okay." she said, straining not to stutter. And then...she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. "I p-promise it will be okay, Naruto. I k-know that it m-must be hard for you r-right now...but t-things...have a way of...w-working themselves out."

Naruto let himself be drawn into the embrace, not really paying attention until he realized who was holding him. Surprise made him hesitate but he caved in to the comfort and then he was wrapping his arms around Hinata's slender frame.

"Thank's, Hinata." he whispered into her ear.

Blushing brightly, she wrapped an arm under his shoulder and gently lifted him to his feet. The beginnings of a small smile twitched across his lips. A faint pinkish tint dusted his cheeks as well.

"I'm alright now. I really needed that."

He was too tired to stand on his own but he forced himself to his feet. _'Weakling...' _The words screamed at him. _'Hinata looks up to me and this is how I repay her. Pathetic.'_

"**Brat..." **the fox's voice echoed through the chamber's of his mind.

"**Shut up, Kyuubi. I'm too tired to deal with you right now."**

For once the demon complied and Naruto was left in peace. Fatigue weighed down every part of his body. Hinata's inquiry was so soft that he barely heard it.

"A-Are you going t-to be okay?"

Naruto grinned, but there was nothing behind it. "Of course." he said. The fake cheeriness earned him a stern look from his new sensei.

"I'll be fine." he admitted lowly.

The Uchiha resisted the urge to sigh and instead shifted Shizuka's weight to give his other arm a break.

"I'm sure you all must be exhausted. My shadow clone will take you to your rooms and supply you with anything you need. I have business to attend to so just rest up, unpack your belongings, and get settled in. Training starts Monday at 4:00 AM." Itachi said as another Itachi appeared beside him.

The real Itachi disappeared without a puff of smoke, leaving his clone counterpart with the two genin. Naruto faced Hinata.

"I guess we should go then, huh, Hinata?"

"Yes...I guess we s-should."

"Come with me." the clone said and waited expectantly for the two ninja to follow.

Naruto looked up to investigate the place that was to be his new home, curiosity finally setting in.

"Whoa..." he trailed off, slack-jawed.

In front of him stood not a cottage, not a mansion, but a building that could have been a mirror image of the Hyuuga Compound. As Naruto and Hinata grew nearer, they were able to distinguish more details. There were outdoor corridors and training grounds similar to the ones they used in Konoha. All in all, it was quite similar to Hinata's own home.

Naruto subconsciously held his breath as he stepped into the foyer behind Hinata. The place wasn't as extravagant as he had first assumed it to be. In fact, it was surprisingly plain. The walls, although painted a heavy cream color, were barren and thin. The only decor consisted of a few large pots stocked with kindling. _'They're probably lit at night so people can see the walkway.'_

The sound of running water caught Naruto's attention. He looked and saw a Tsukiyami Garden(1) sat directly in the center of the complex, boxed in by the outdoor corridors.

"Its...so pretty." Hinata said.

Naruto yawned and nodded in agreement.

"Let's go." said Itachi's clone abruptly.

A wave of dizziness crashed down upon Naruto. He stumbled but quickly regained his footing. _'Just a little further. Just a little further, that's all. I hope Hinata didn't see that.' _The ground suddenly tilted beneath him and the hallway split into three. Something cold touched his shoulder.

"N-Naruto. Are y-you okay...?"

Naruto closed his eyes and opened them again, completely unaware that Itachi's clone was studying him intensely.

"Yeah." he shook it off. "I'm exhausted."

The clone pointed to two doors on the left side of the hallway. "This is where you'll be staying. Is there anything you need?"

Both genin shook their head and simultaneously went inside. "'Night, Hinata-chan." Naruto called from the doorway.

"...Um...N-Naruto...Do you think..." the lavender-eyed girl poked her fingers together nervously. "...It would b-be okay...if I stayed w-with you for a little while?"

"Sure." Naruto called from within his new room.

Hinata edged in quietly and sat down on the bed which lie in the farthest corner of the room.

"Hey. You alright?" he asked, seeing the pink flush on her cheeks.

The girl flushed even deeper. "O-Oh, y-yes. I'm f-fine." she stammered.

Naruto let his backpack fall to the floor, too tired to care about such trivial things. He wanted sleep._'I'll put everything away later. Right now I just want to...'_

"Sleep." he groaned and threw himself onto the bed.

'_Don't faint, Hinata. Don't faint. Just don't faint, whatever you do.' _Hinata stared at the wall in front of her.

Naruto released a tension-filled sigh into his pillow. Meaningless thoughts ran rampant through his head. He flinched as he felt the kyuubi's mind rake across his own. He strained against the mental contact, but the nine-tailed-fox dragged his vessel swiftly into an unconscious slumber.

'_**Sleep, kit. You need it.'**_

Hinata slipped from the room silently, pausing only once just outside the door. "Stay strong, Naruto. I have faith in you." she spoke mere decibels above a whisper. Her lean form melted into the shadowy hallway without a trace.

**Elsewhere in the building...**

"He did what?" Itachi asked sharply.

Sharingan eyes met their reflection in a shadow clone; the same one that had taken Naruto and Hinata through the compound to their rooms.

The Uchiha's clone terminated itself and its memories were instantly received by Itachi. He went over the information silently. Naruto's brief stumble played over and over inside his mind. What he saw confirmed his suspicions.

' _Its worse than I anticipated. Naruto's sharingan is far above his current level. Its disrupting his normal chakra flow and impairing his abilities as a shinobi. I need to train him before this problem progresses any further.'_

Thinking to himself quietly, he decided to check on his other charge before going to bed. Shizuka was still unconscious in her room. He left the door open just a crack for her just in case the girl woke up while he was sleeping.

Itachi drew the bamboo blinds shut in his room across the hallway and crawled eagerly into his bed. Within minutes, he was sound asleep. A sudden hush descended upon the complex as the inhabitants slept into the late hours of the morning.

**With Sasuke...Earlier**

Sasuke waited until the sun rose for Naruto to show up. Now it was nearly eight and his comrade was nowhere in sight.

"Tch...The idiot probably forgot. But something doesn't seem right...I should go talk to Kakashi-sensei.."

As he ran, a nagging sense of worry overcame him. He sped up and by the time he reached Kakashi's apartment, he was at a full-out run. He knocked on the door, still panting slightly from the full out run. His schooled features gave no evidence of surprise when Iruka greeted him.

The chunin smiled wanly at him. "Come on in." he spoke without a trace of his usual happiness.

Sasuke stepped in and the older man shut the door behind him. Sitting on the couch were the rest of the rookie nine instructors, Might Guy and Kurenai, his own sensei, Kakashi, Hinata's father, and the third Hokage. Shino and Kiba were also present, as well as other teammate, Sakura.

'_She looks like she's been crying.' _he thought as the pink-haired girl approached him stiffly, eyes red and swollen.

"We've already sent out several search teams for them. There is nothing else we can do except wait. You all should resume your regular schedules. I will make sure to inform you when anything comes up." the third Hokage said.

"But Sarutobi, sir. They're just — " Iruka began

"I know you are concerned for their safety, Iruka, but nothing more can be done than what has already been done." Sarutobi smiled. "Now, Hiashi, I must speak to you in my office. Come by later when you have a break in your duties."

There was a poof of smoke and the Hokage was gone.

"My students must train vigorously today so their flame of youth may burn brighter than ever before." the spandex-clad ninja spoke. "Please take care, my fellow friends. Kakashi, my eternal rival. I shall see you later."

Kurenai left next, taking Shino and Kiba with her. "Call me if you need anything, Kakashi."

The silver-haired jonin nodded in response. "Of course." he replied absently.

Hiashi disappeared without speaking to anyone. Only Sakura and Sasuke remained with their sensei. Kakashi sighed and sank onto his leather couch.

"Sakura...Kakashi-sensei. What's going on?"

Unease settled in the pit of his stomach like a stone weight, turning his limbs heavy and cold. Deep inside he already knew what had happened. Shaking fists formed at his side; the knuckles of his left fist were purple and blue but he didn't care. The jonin's visible eye was dark with pain. He didn't say a word. Sakura's small voice finally broke the ensuing silence.

"Hinata is missing..."she swallowed through renewed tears. "...And so is Naruto.

**Review replies are here now///insert imaginary line here, please///**

**To reviewer ****hm****: I am sorry you see it like that, but I highly dislike Hiashi. I certainly hope you will continue to read my fanfiction, though.**

**To: Relvain Jenafuse: Thank you for finally kicking my butt into gear!!!!!!!!! And Hiashi...is going to suffer immensely. Don't worry. **

**Chronostorm: Only Naruto's mother was an Uchiha. The kekkei genkai was only activated as a result of the kyuubi's chakra. The reason his Sharingan is permanent is because the fox's immense chakra forces it to show and Naruto hasn't yet learned to control the Sharingan. ( Or his chakra fully, yet, either. )**

**Kaiphoenix,Cloudx, Faern, crazelegs12, the bliss, and Dark Sky of Avalon: Thanks.**

**Lovelyneko: Ha-ha. You're review made me laugh. Thankies!!**

**Ryo Yuriko: I will seriously consider doing that. Thank you.**

**Novak 112: Thanks. A lot. I needed to hear that. I'll definitely keep writing and no offense taken, by the way.**

**Ero-sennin-clone: Nice user name. He-he. Hope this update is what you've been looking forward to.**

**To all those who waited so patiently (and those who waited not-so-patiently) for me to update: Thank you!!!!!! You all get your choice of cookie and a Naruto character plushie. And you all get to kill the evil Hiashi doll however you like. Trust me, he's going to pay for what he's done. I might even create a poll and let you all decide how he dies and/or learns his lesson. What do you think of that?**


	14. Reluctant Trust

1 **I apologize for this crap-chapter. I've been reading all this good fan -fiction and decided a change of style is in order. I don't know how I'm going to do this, but some how or another, I'll accomplish it. This should make some of you happy. ( Especially TheHybrid02, whose eagerness inspired my butt into gear.) Also, I am now taking up a poll of Hiashi's death and/or punishment. Here are some suggestions I've received from other reviewers.**

**Hiashi will:**

**1. Be tortured with the Tsukiyomi, either by Naruto or Itachi.**

**2. Suffer immensely at the hands of Ibiki Morino and then have his chakra sealed for eternity. He could also be banned from Konoha.**

**3. ...Physical castration with a rusty spoon...er...kunai?**

**4. Naruto or Hinata should just kill him. The series would be better off without him anyway. ( Specify who should kill him if you pick this option. )**

**5. Other. Please enlighten me?**

**Er...Warnings: Sasuke is a bit OC in this chapter. By the way, I was thinking of pairing him with someone. Who should it be? Don't forget about my character as well. Shizuka is also an option, when she gets older. Right then, on with the chapter.**

**Chapter 15. Reluctant Trust**

Sasuke blinked once. Twice.

"Naruto…Missing?" he copied Sakura's words, disbelief lacing each one.

His pink-haired teammate nodded, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. She lost the battle after several quiet minutes and broke into quiet, choking sobs.

"I know…I know that I was almost…" she paused to wipe her eyes, "…Almost always mean to him….I should have just…" she brought her hands to her face and pressed tem against her face.

"This is all my fault!!" she wailed. "When have I ever been nice to him?! I've always put him down or ignored him. And I noticed something was wrong with him in training on Tuesday, but when I asked him, he said he was fine. I should have insisted!! He's gone and its all my fault!"

Sasuke was startled by the genin's sudden outburst. _'So she noticed as well.' _he thought while eyeing the girl nervously.

Sakura made her way to the other couch, half-blinded by tears, and sat down, still sobbing quietly. The raven-haired boy didn't know what to do. His normal thought processes suddenly shut off. He very nearly jumped when his sensei spoke.

"It isn't your fault, Sakura." Kakashi said, voice laden with unreadable emotion. "If it is anyone's fault here then it's mine. I should have looked after him more…." he trailed off though Sasuke could tell that he wanted to say more.

'_It almost sounds like he's hiding something. I've never seen him so….despondent before. Kakashi is usually so closed…So calm.'_

"Kakashi, if you're hiding something, then I think now is the time to tell us. Sakura and I are his teammates. We deserve to know."

One dull black eye met Sasuke's own onyx orbs and he bit back the urge to gasp as he took in his teacher's appearance. Kakashi looked like he hade aged rapidly in response to the sudden ordeal. Everything about the man radiated a dark, intense sorrow.

'_Kakashi seems so distant…unreachable.'_

He couldn't help but tremble under the jonin's empty gaze. A purple half-moon shone under his one visible eye and his silvery hair was slightly disheveled. Sasuke didn't think the man could even hear him.

'_Its like he's lost in some other world. I don't understand.'_

Sasuke's anger turned to frustration. He spoke again, louder this time. "Kakashi. Snap out of it. You know something about Naruto, so spill it already." he bit out harshly.

Kakashi gave a weary nod. "I don't know everything, Sasuke," he began, "But I'll tell you what information I do have and my suspicions as well. Sit down somewhere. Pay attention too, Sakura."

The jonin mentally pictured their reactions and suppressed a heavy sigh. _'This is not going to be easy, but Sasuke does have a point. He is Naruto's comrade and Sakura is too. They have a right to know.'_

Sakura heard her name and looked up in response. All of her features were marked with apprehension, from her pinched face to the trembling hands that tugged at a limp strand of hair. Grave sea-green eyes studied Sasuke blankly for a moment before looking down to face the floor. She scooted immediately to make room for her teammate.

Sasuke nodded his thanks and edged his way onto the leather seat. He continued to watch her somewhat nervously from the corner of his eye, as if expecting to be forced into a hug any second, but Sakura still wore a look of guilt. The raging fan-girl had been replaced by a quiet, solemn stranger.

When the kunoichi finally gather d up the strength to talk, her voice was so soft that one they had to strain to hear. "Well, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Okay, you guys." the jonin sighed. "Where do you want me to start."

Neither Sasuke nor Sakura knew what to say so the room remained silent. The mid-day heat seeping through the windows permeated the atmosphere. Kakashi stood to fix the curtains. He drew them shut to block out the sunlight and then walked over to fiddle with the air-conditioner.

"Um… Maybe you could tell us about Naruto's home life…? He was acting strange four days before he left, maybe even before then…"

Sasuke interjected. "Definitely before then."

"So perhaps his strange behavior could have been attributed to something in his past? I'm not certain, but I'd say it's as good a place to start as any. We should start from the beginning anyways. It just makes more sense."

"That's using your head, Sakura." Kakashi replied while wincing inwardly.

'_I have a strange suspicion that Naruto's past is linked with his disappearance. Hinata's would more than likely involve her father. What remains to be seen is if Naruto and Hinata would more that left together or individually. However, this isn't going to be easy at all.'_

"To be honest, there isn't much to tell about Naruto. There are things that even I do not know." he began, not knowing what else to say.

Sasuke and Sakura remained still in there seats. The room dimmed suddenly as if in response to the somewhat uncomfortable atmosphere. Beyond the window, the sun sank into a patch of clouds, leaving the room cold. Both genin and jonin succumbed to the overbearing silence. Sasuke averted his eyes to the floor while Sakura's hands twirled a strand of pink hair about her finger. Kakashi stood and went to the kitchen.

The man came back shortly with three cps of hot tea. Sakura held out her hands for a cup and gratefully accepted it. Sasuke took a small sip before setting it down on the floor next to the couch.

Kakashi inhaled the dry sweet aroma of chamomile tea and let his breath out slowly. "Like I said, there really isn't much to tell about Naruto. He's an orphan. I don't know who his parents are and neither does he. Few do, I suspect. Iruka is the closest thing he's ever had to a guardian and that wasn't until after he started at the ninja academt.

"But…sensei…" Sakura gasped. "Doesn't that mean that Naruto's…" a guilty look crossed her face.

"He's been alone…all this time…from the day he was born. How can he…Kakashi-sensei… How can he still smile so much after everything that's happened to him? There isn't the slightest possibility that it didn't affect him. Come to think of it, most of the villagers don't seem to like Naruto very much. Even at the academy… NO one paid him any attention except for Iruka-sensei. He was always so loud and disruptive….I think that Naruto hid how he truly felt by faking an extroverted personality.

Sakura bit her lip and started to cry again. "And I was one of those people!" she sobbed vehemently. "I want Naruto to come back. I want him to know how sorry I am.

"Think about it, Sakura. If what you say about Naruto is true, then the resulting damage is irreparable. Apologies won't change the way he felt. He's been subjected to it his whole life. How do you think Naruto would feel if you said you were sorry now?"

"You're guilty too, Sasuke!!" You always provoke him into arguments during training."

Sasuke shook his head. "That isn't true." he replied evenly. "If anyone could understand how Naruto feels, it would be me."

"You call him names and constantly antagonize him"

Sasuke snorted. "Like you're one to talk."

"Well at least I actually listen to him."

"Only when he's complimenting you, Sakura. You always reject him when he asks you out and he asks every single day. What could one day have done? I wouldn't have hurt."

"Oh yeah." said Sakura. "Who was the one who saved your life during the La nod Waves mission. I bet you didn't even thank Naruto."

"If I recall correctly, you were so worried over my _death_." Sasuke quoted the word with his fingers, "that you pushed Naruto out of the way and ignored him in favor of me. You, His own teammate, completely disregarded him. That affected him more than he ever let one."

Heavy sobs wracked the kunoichi's slender frame. The tea mug almost slipped from her shaking hands. Wordlessly, Sasuke took the mug from the girl and set it beside his own.

"I know…" she moaned. "I know."

The discussion was going downhill fast. As the two genin continued their word battle, and idea came into being and Kakashi didn't like it one bit. It appeared as though Naruto has a mask; a façade that he wore to cover up the pain of growing up alone and being rejected by his own village. One thing was for certain. That mask had cracks in it and it was painfully obvious to hi now that the orange-clad, perpetually hyper, loud-mouthed ninja was in fact a severely troubled boy who had become forcefully acquainted with loneliness during his short but harsh life. Kakashi blanched as the memory of a drying puddle of blood resurfaced.

'_Is it possible that he was hurting himself in order to deal with what he felt…But…' _he frowned. _'Why would he do that when he has Iruka and myself, unless he believed it would be placing a burden on us. I haven't exactly offered to listen when he wants to talk. Tuesday was a mere fluke, but I know something was wrong then. I should have forced him to talk. maybe he thought that I was only acting on my behalf as sensei.' _Kakashi shook his head, still frowning at the conclusion. There was nothing else to do but continue.

"As far as I know, he enrolled in the ninja academy at the age of seven. He was able to purchase an apartment on his own without the help of anyone as far as the Third was."

'_I can't be truthful about everything. Something things shouldn't be revealed until they're all older, and some are just meant to be left alone. I can't tell the about someone taking Naruto from the Hokage Tower when he was three --- they'd question why Naruto was under the Hokage's protection instead of being placed in a foster home --- nor can I say anything about the mysterious unknown person who enrolled him. That provides too much room for questioning and speculation. I'll have to rule that for now.'_

The Uchiha sensed that his teacher was deep in thought and remained silent so as not to disturb the man. He glanced quickly at Sakura to see that she had stopped crying. He sighed audibly; dealing with a distraught female was not on his list of learned skills. A thought came unbidden to his mind.

'_There was something wrong with Naruto's right arm at the training practice on Tuesday. He pulled his sleeves down all the way thinking no one would notice. Could he have…'_

"Sensei." Sasuke asked sharply.

His voice implied that he had just come across a revelation.

"What is it, Sasuke?"

"Is Naruto capable of harming himself?"

Sakura jolted at these words. "What?! Why would he do that?!"

Kakashi on the other hand did not look startled in the least by the question. _'So he picked up on Naruto's injury as well. That doesn't surprise me. He is an Uchiha after all.'_

The full meaning of Sasuke's words dawned on her and a look of astonishment settled itself comfortably on her face.

"…His right arm. It was bothering him at training on Tuesday, but he wouldn't let me take a look at it." Sakura said, voicing her thoughts.

Sasuke nodded, obviously in agreement with the kunoichi's statement. "But…" he voice was hesitant with confusion, "Why would he do something like that to himself?"

"Kakashi." Sasuke began heavily. "Is it possible that Naruto may have left of his own accord and is not in any immediate danger?"

The jonin shook his head wearily. _'Even if that were the truth, his chakra trail wasn't present, meaning he's farther away than either of us could hope to travel in a day. Naruto doesn't know how to teleport… so another person must have been with him.'_

The silver-haired shinobi smacked himself on the forehead for not realizing it sooner and rushed to the door before pausing. Both of his pupils regarded him expectantly. They wanted an explanation, but he waved them off with one hand. "I must speak to the Hokage now. Both of you, return to your homes." he said.

"And yes, Sakura." he answered her question before should could ask. "I will inform you as well as Sasuke if anything new develops." he thought carefully for a moment, then added, " You are not to speak of Naruto's disappearance to anyone, even if that person happened to be present in this room when you first arrived. The townspeople may overhear you and rumors will spread like wildfire. That includes you too, Sasuke."

In a swirl of leaves he vanished, leaving the two genin behind to their thoughts. Sasuke drank the rest of his tea slowly and placed the empty mug in Kakashi's kitchen sink. He edged his way back to the leather couch nervously. He wasn't sure he wanted to face a distraught Sakura. Much to his surprise the kunoichi had already gone; he left her half-full cup in the sink beside his own and decided training would be the best way to spend the afternoon.

The sun spared Sasuke no mercy as he sped along the side streets, Memories came unbidden as he stepped into the shadows pooling beside the Uchiha Manor. The sound of wood creaking alerted him to an unknown presence. He stiffened and whirled around in the hopes of catching whoever it was off-guard. A mirror image of him stared back with curious red eyes. No…this man was taller, with a length of raven hair trailing beyond his neck.

"Itachi.." Sasuke hissed, muscles tightening instinctively in preparation to fight. "No. It can't be him. I would have sensed his chakra. It's too powerful to be fully concealed.

He shook his head to dispel the phantom image from his mind. For a moment he stared at his shaking hands until fear gave way to shame. The tremors subsided, quickly replaced by a boiling rage.

Sasuke's anger fell a few notches on the short walk to his private training area. Hidden masterfully from prying eyes, the place was designed with seclusion in mind. Various weapons were kept in a small building. He retrieved a few shuriken, some larger shuriken, and a coil of thin wire before setting out towards the northern-most end of the grounds.

'_I'll practice and improve some of my techniques. I need to focus….strengthen my body and mind…Still, Naruto missing….Something doesn't feel right about this…And his arm…did he really hurt himself intentionally….but why? There has to be a reason behind all of it.'_

Without further ado he began to do warm-up exercises. He was determined to block all thoughts from mind until he could make proper sense of things again.

**With Naruto:**

A certain blond genin was roused from his sleep by a gentle prodding. At first he merely stirred, stuffing his face beneath the pillow in an attempt to stave off consciousness, but increasing force soon became impossible to ignore.

"…getting up…"

The poking persisted. Naruto shut his eyes tightly and wrapped his arms around the pillow as if to say: Mine! _'Doesn't whoever it is know that it's too early to wake up...No one in their right mind would be awake this early.'_

"...mmm...I'm awake..."

Something nudged his side again. He waved a hand roughly in the direction of the pressure, hoping that the gesture would be easily understood. A breath of wind behind him moved and then suddenly he was bathed in icy air as the blankets were torn from his grasp.

Naruto yelped and struggled to recover the source of his warmth. He earned only a giggle while the blurry figure in front of him danced swiftly beyond his reach. A groan of frustration escaped his lips.

"Okay. Now I'm awake. For sure this time." he sat up, rubbed the grit from his eyes, and was immediately confronted by a small, darkly clad girl bouncing before him. "Eh? Who're you?"

The girl met his azure stare with a pair of bubble-gum pink orbs. She gazed morosely at him, eyes dark and narrow...and contorted by something else: Fear.

"**She's afraid of you, Naruto."**

"**Kyuubi?"**

The nine-tailed-fox snorted contemptuously within the cavern of Naruto's mind.

"**I'm the only one sealed inside you, or perhaps you think I've invited company over."**

"**If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were getting lonely in there. Anyways, why would she be scared of me?"**

"**I heal your wounds, you ungrateful brat! I deserve your utmost respect at the very least. But, in answer to your question, it appears to be something of a kekkei genkai or the like. Perhaps she can sense my chakra."**

"**How could she do that? Your chakra is sealed off unless I'm the one accessing it, or if the seal loosens...like in the Land of Waves."**

"**Brat." **the fox grumbled while digging into his thoughts for an answer. **"She's been with Uchiha Itachi. There is something different about her chakra and chakra flow altogether."**

'_**This child intrigues me. Her chakra flow is completely different compared to the standard flow. It's almost as if her chakra has a conscious mind of its own. The way it moves, where it collects near the eyes and other vulnerable parts of the body. Chakra with a conscious of its own...This kekkei genkai is most unusual. I should investigate.'**_

A thin tendril of red chakra stretched out from Naruto's stomach and began crawling through the air towards the girl. Pink eyes wide with horror, she pressed herself against the wall and sank to her knees.

"Kyuubi, what are you doing?!"

Just then a slight humming filled the room. _'What the heck is that...Its like the air is vibrating or something. Is she doing it?'_

Naruto sank deeper into his mind. **"What's going on?"**

The world around him grew dimmer and dimmer as odd patterns of light flashed across his vision. A piercing pain erupted behind his eyes like nothing he had ever felt before. Like someone had just taken a heavy object and walloped him over the head with it. Bitter-tasting liquid rose in his throat; Naruto forced a swallow but the substance came back anyway.

Gradually the agony faded until a mere throbbing in his temple was all that remained. He then became aware of someone trying to pry his hands off of his face. His muscles began to ache immediately as soon as they were released.

"...Thanks..." he murmured breathlessly.

"What...W-What...the heck...was that?"

Black orbs glanced at him briefly before facing the pink-eyed girl.

"I believe an introduction is in order." Itachi said simply. "Shizuka, this is Naruto."

The Uchiha gestured to the still-wheezing genin beside him. "Naruto, this is Shizuka. She doesn't talk at all, but she can hear you, and I would keep your fox's chakra to yourself if I were you."

He gave a strange sort of half-smile that looked more like a grimace on his face and stood. "I'll explain later over a meal. I'm sure you and Hinata are both hungry after traveling so far. The time is 5:56. Shizuka will accompany you if you wish to familiarize yourself with the layout of this building. I expect you at the dining room for yushoku (1) in an hour."

'_I really should tell him that I need to talk to him afterwards, but it can wait. There is hardly sense in making him anxious now right after he's just left Konoha. He needs time to adjust, but the matter is urgent.'_

"Naruto." he said at last, deciding to tell him after all. "After we're done eating, I need to speak to you about something."

Naruto nodded to show that he understood.

"You might also want to wake Hinata-chan. You can both get settled in together and Shizuka will help."

Itachi disappeared without a trace of smoke, leaving the two genin behind in an awkward silence. Shizuka and Naruto stared at each other.

The blonde gave a good-natured grin. "Well, Shizuka-chan." he said, still grinning. "I guess this means that we're going to be working together as team-mates. It's perfectly fine if you decide not to talk. You know, one of my old team-mates didn't talk much either..." Naruto broke off with a heavy sigh.

The ground seemed very interesting sudden; Naruto ran his eyes along the wooden flanks, thinking deeply. An ache writhed inside his stomach and for the first time, he realized that he was homesick. He started slightly when a warm hand touched his shoulder.

'_I know what you are feeling Naruto. After I left the Hidden Shadow Village, I felt so alone. Itachi-sensei stayed with me most of the time, but it didn't seem like it sometimes. My family is gone. And my brother Hotaru ...Orochimaru killed him. And he destroyed the village too. If only I could say something...Anything.'_

"Did Itachi-sensei ever tell you about his younger brother? His name is Sasuke, and he's a real pain in the butt sometimes..." he said softly, reminiscing the days after Team 7 had met up for the very first time. "…, but he isn't a bad person." he added on.

Shizuka sat beside him on the bed as he continued talking about his teammates. "Oh yeah!! We have to go wake up Hinata-chan. Let's go together so that I can introduce you to her."

Hinata, as it turned out, had already been awake for over an hour

"What have you been doing all this time, Hinata-chan? I just barely got up now. You could have woken me up so I wouldn't feel so lazy."

She winced at the loudness of his tone. "I'm s-s-sorry, Naruto-kun." she mumbled apologetically while gazing at the floor.

A pang of guilt tugged at Naruto's heart.

"Hinata..." he reached out and touched her shoulder. She immediately pulled away, willing with all her might not to flinch under the gentle hand.

A bitter expression crossed his face. _'Whatever her father must have done...It must still be hurting her.'_

"You've got nothing to be sorry for, Hinata-chan. I won't ever talk to you like that again if it scares you. I promise."

His Sharingan eyes perceived the tiny nod and narrowed even more at the fear written across her features. He spoke quietly so as not to scare her further.

"Hinata-chan. You don't have to tell me right now, but when you think you're ready, will you talk to me about what happened between you and your father? You don't have to, allright. I just know that it isn't good to keep all that stuff inside of you."

Hinata poked her fingers together nervously and her gaze drifted to the floor once more.

"Um...Um…I."

Looking regretful, he let his hand drop to his side, and when he spoke again, it was with the quiet voice of someone defeated.

"I'm here for you, alright," he said softly. "Whenever you want to talk, I'll listen. Now, what do you say we go unpack my stuff and then Shizuka here can give us a tour of the place? And then we can go eat. Itachi-sensei wants us for dinner at seven so we've got about an hour to get all settled in. What do you say to that?"

'_To hear him... Naruto sounding so serious. Am I the first to ever notice that his happiness is fake? The smiles are empty...And his words are filled with understanding and compassion, but also loneliness. Naruto...Some day I hope you will be able to be your true self.'_

Heartened by his speech, Hinata smiled bravely and went to assist Naruto in unpacking. The genin hadn't brought much. In fact, he'd taken more weapons than clothing.

An unused pouch held new kunai while another stored shuriken. She wasn't surprised to see how sharp and clean they were. She knew that Naruto had grown up an orphan and therefore deemed it necessary to treat all of his belongings with painstaking care. She pulled the items out of his pack while Naruto folded his few outfits into a new dresser.

The edge of a shuriken pierced her finger as she removed it from the backpack; she held it up as it began to bleed. The smell gripped at Naruto's sensitive nose.

"Hinata-chan. What happened?"

The Sharingan wielder turned to see a red stain spreading slowly down her finger. For a moment, he was back at home, the kunai pressed to his flesh, dragging across his skin to cope with something that words could not describe. The place where the scars had been tingled and he put a hand to his forearm.

"Silly of me. I got careless and your weapon s-slipped."

"Hey. You almost said an entire sentence without stuttering."

Hinata's face grew hot. "He-he. You're right, Naruto. Being a-around you makes m-me a little less shy. I really…" she paused before rushing forward. "…want to be just like you!"

Now it was Naruto's turn to blush, but it soon changed into a frown.

'_Does she really think I do that…? Why? I don't understand. There is nothing special about me.'_

'_**I might need to watch you tonight, kit. This location is meant for your safety.'**_

"You don't want to be like me." the words slipped out, full of sorrow and remorse. Almost as if he were regretting his own existence.

'_Idiot. I shouldn't have said that. Now she's going to ask questions…and ones that I can't answer.'_

"Um...I'm...It's okay. I can heal it quickly."

Glowing green chakra flickered up around the tiny cut, sealing it until no trace remained.

"How long did it take you to learn that?" Naruto asked, awestruck.

A smile crossed Hinata's face. "Two days."

"Wow! That's amazing."

Naruto found himself impressed. Through many of the injuries sustained by the village people, he'd taught himself to use healing chakra, but it had taken him months before he could perform a decent recovery jutsu. He supposed the origin of the difficulties involved Kyuubi.

"You know," Naruto found himself laughing. "It took me months to learn that. Maybe you could teach me. If you want to, that is." he added quickly.

'_Naruto is much more insecure that I've ever seen. I hope I'm not doing anything to make him uncomfortable.'_

"I-I'd love to teach you Naruto. I think w-we should keep unpacking…though you d-didn't bring much with you."

Suddenly the silent girl beside them flickered out of the room. Both Naruto and Hinata noticed the absent chakra and they turned to look just as she reappeared. In her hands were several outfits, presumably for Naruto.

"Thank you, Shizuka-chan."

Shizuka gave a small smile and rubbed at her eye with a hand as if to say, "No problem."

Naruto took the clothes pile from her arms and set aside an outfit for use before carefully opening the dresser. A burst of maple encircled the group with its sweet scent. He piled the clothes into pairs and put them away.

The drawer below he used to store his weapon belts, kunai, and other tools of the trade.

"Well, I guess that's it. Shizuka, could you point me in the direction of the nearest bathroom?"

A warm smile lit her face up.

'_They treat me like a person. They don't act like I'm special…or stare at me oddly. I might just have a new family.'_

She held up a finger to the wall behind Naruto.

"Oh. He-he-he. I guess it'd help if I opened my eyes, now wouldn't it."

"Especially now that you have the Sharingan."

Naruto gave an overbearing grin. "Yeah!"

'_He's trying too hard to act like he always does. Why is he doing this now?'_

'_It's obvious that his smile is fake. What is he really like on the inside, I wonder.'_

"Well, I'm going to hop into the shower and change. I stink from the night before. All that running through the tree-tops left my legs sore."

Shizuka followed Hinata out of the room to give him some privacy.

"I'll come find you when I'm done."

Hinata almost shut the door completely but then stuck her head in the door.

"Just be yourself Naruto-kun." she repeated softly. "I want to see you as you are, not who you pretend to be."

Naruto glanced at her briefly in acknowledgment with a guilty expression.

"…I'll try…" he said before turning his back to her.

The snow-eyed kunoichi let the door swing closed behind her and came face to face with Shizuka. She saw Hinata's expression and reflected an empathetic one as if to say, "It's going to be alright."

"I know, Shizuka-chan. I know."

For the briefest of moments she opened her mouth as if to speak. Only air came out.

'_Its like I've forgotten how to talk. It's been so long. Too long.'_

Pink eyes gazed longingly at the floor. If only she could melt into it and become firm, solid. Secure in more ways then one. She would be strong then, and she could make Hotaru proud.

'_I miss you, aniki.'_

Sensing distress, Hinata spoke up. "Lets go. You could h-help me unpack my s-s-tuff….i-if you want."

Hinata's room differed slightly from Naruto's. More light fell in from the open window and a fresh breeze sent pale lacy curtains billowing inward. Behind them snow trailed as far as the eye could see. With her Byakugan, the light shone almost with a luminous glow. The air inside was chilly, but not unpleasant.

Invigorated by the temperature, both kunoichi set about making the bed and placing things in order. The fingers of time loosened their grip from the room, freeing it from limitations.

The two finished quickly. Shizuka gave the older kunoichi a knowing look and left the room. Hinata, still slightly tired from the long journey the day before, lay herself down demurely and sleep sidled into her mind. Within ten minutes she was fast asleep.

…///…///…///

"I can't fail. Not for Hinata-chan. Not for Itachi-sensei. And not for…not myself."

A glimmer of determination flared in his eyes, but it disappeared as easily as it had come, replaced by a benign sort of resignation. The next words that fell from his lips were beneath a whisper.

"…I only hope that I can do it."

The genin located his knap-sack on the floor and began to scrounge through it, tossing aside the orange clothes that he hated so passionately. He grabbed the outfit that lay beside his extra kunai pouch. Without much thought, he pocketed one of the new kunai before grabbing his belongings and set out to find a shower.

He was grateful that Shizuka had taken the time to point out his very own bathroom. As he walked in, he felt instinctively for a light switch, but there was none. Although the kyuubi's powers enhanced his vision the room remained pitch black. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, red eyes squinting against the impenetrable darkness.

A puddle encountered his bare foot as he proceeded into the room. He bit back a groan at the dampness oozing up between his toes.

He pulled a face and stepped forward warily. Lights appeared suddenly, flickering into life. The glow of a thousand candles sent shadows dispersing across the cavern-like walls.

"What the heck? Am I underground or something?"

Naruto's own voice echoed eerily off of the dark walls.

A closer look revealed several racks of glittering candles. Small yet decadent, they provided enough light to lift the veil of darkness blinding him. Cautiously he observed the walls and was quite surprised by the simplistic interior. He ventured further inside when he suddenly felt the familiar pull of chakra leaving his body.

The genin let out a startled yelp and stumbled backwards, landing painfully on his rear end. Candlelight abandoned him, flooding the room with darkness again. Kyuubi let out a snicker.

Naruto got to his feet and dusted himself off. "Some shinobi I am." he spat vehemently.

Chakra left his feet again as he strode forward again, this time determined to reach the racks of candles. A warm, soothing light fluttered eloquently into life.

Then realization dawned on him. _'The candles are powered by chakra.'_

No longer hesitant, he drew closer and was finally able to see the entire room. A small hot spring filled one corner of the vast room; beside it stood an open cabinet of shelves where freshly laundered towels resided. Naruto inhaled the warm dry scent of cinnamon coming from an incense bowl to the right of the towels. Like a salve on a wound, the scent extinguished his racing thoughts. For the first time in as long he could remember, his mind was silent.

He stripped himself of clothing and slid eagerly into the steaming hot spring. As tense as his muscles were, he felt himself unwind under the water's recuperating heat.

'_**At least he isn't hurting himself again,' **_the fox demon thought. '_**, but I have to make sure that he takes care of himself.'**_

Naruto swam under, relishing the warmth that seeped into every pore of his body. Pure heaven. That's what it felt like as the dreamy underwater silence held him in its palm.

A sudden pain sliced through his abdomen and he doubled over beneath the water. Air bubbles escaped from his open mouth as his lungs froze in place, refusing to take in much-needed oxygen. The water around him swirled in a kaleidoscopic sea of colors. He was drowning.

"**Kit!" **the Kyuubi called.

'_**The imbalance resulting from the above-level Sharingan has deprived vital parts of his body from chakra reception'**_

Within the dark confines of Naruto's mind, a flare of vile blood-red energy burst from the seal imprisoning the notorious nine-tailed beast. Demonic chakra surged through his chakra system, infiltrating the tenketsu to open the blocked passages.

Lungs bursting, the genin reemerged, breathless and shivering as a sudden chill overcame him. He managed to pull himself weakly from the water. The ordeal sent adrenaline pumping through his system. Gasping and sputtering as his heart played hopscotch with his rib cage, Naruto climbed shakily to his knees.

A shadow fell before him. He looked up into the milky lavender eyes of a Byakugan user. Hinata knelt by his side. Naruto felt a warm hand descend upon his shoulder.

"N-N-Naruto-kun…Are you alright?"

Swallowing the uncertainty that threatened to engulf him, the genin nodded and stood.

When he spoke, his voice was laden with uncertainty. "…I think so…I just…I don't know what happened."

Hinata stared worriedly at Naruto. _'Naruto. You have to hold on, okay. I don't understand what's going on right now. Maybe…. Maybe I could…If only I could understand'_

She had felt the disturbance in his chakra flow. Sensed the volatile chakra rushing to Naruto's aid. Had woken from her light sleep and determined the source easily. And now this…

"Naruto-kun…We need to tell Itachi-sensei about this." determination rang clearly in her voice.

"Well…" Naruto was hesitant. _'I don't want him to think that something is wrong with me.'_

Hinata spoke as if she had read her crush's mind. "I don't believe that Itachi would ever judge you. This…" she struggled to raise her voice. "…This is not Konoha. No one here would ever do something as cruel as that."

The genin turned away as the memories flooded back to him.

**FLASHBACK////….//// 3****rd**** Person POV**

**A navy-eyed child peered cautiously around the corner. Cheek pressed against the rough red brick of an old apartment complex, he impassively studied the strangers congregating near a field of open grass.**

**A dry summer wind swept a mop of spiky blonde hair down over his eyes. He studied them with a calculating glance. **

'_**If I am seen, I will be hurt. I have to be stealthy. Quiet. A true shinobi.'**_

**Sinking deeper into his thoughts, awareness of the world around disappeared a like a city under siege by misty fog. A rock bounced off of his temple. Roused from his mind, he blinked as rocks began to rain around him.**

**Just then a woman shouted, "Its that demon again!! Everyone, take your children indoors. I'll take care of this."**

**A completely unexpected blow to the back of his head made his legs buckle beneath him. The sky, dark with clouds, began to rain. Naruto lay unconscious, sprawled out in the alleyway. **

**Water soaked his shivering form. Beyond the back road, people passed by without so much as a glance. It was obvious that the outside world wanted nothing to do with Uzumaki Naruto.**

**When he woke up, a heated compress was being applied to his forehead. He felt as though the life sustaining him had been sucked out through a crazy straw, leaving him to crumble like the remnants of an empty husk. Something cool brushed his forehead; he suddenly recalled the way a summer breeze would toy with the sleeves of his jacket. **

**All he wanted was to go back to those beautiful days when he had been able to find beauty and magic in the simplest of things. At least then he was able to free himself from the confines of his jaded thoughts.**

**END FLASHBACK///…///**

"…Naruto…Naruto…Naruto!!"

A gentle voice warping as though it had been echoed down a long tunnel met his ears and drew him away from the pandemic of memories. Still they slammed relentlessly into his mind, sparing him no mercy as he was forced to relive more painful moments.

Naruto blinked as something barely brushed across his face. Confusion clouded his arcane red eyes. A headache had begun to drill into the base of his skull with a childish glee.

"Wha...what's going on?" he heard himself ask.

A pale moon-kissed hand flew back to rest at its owner's side.

"N-Naruto. Y-y-you are back. I w-was worried." Hinata exclaimed as loudly as she could, which, for anyone who knew her timid ways, was about as high as a normal speaking voice.

Naruto frowned. " I don't understand."

"You s-s-sort of spaced out…and I k-kept calling you...but you didn't answer."

Hinata swallowed a pause as her crush spoke. "Oh…Well, I'm okay now. Thanks, Hinata, but…Um…Could I ask you a question?"

'_He wants to ask me a question. Is it because…maybe he has feelings for me too?'_

"Um…Hinata…Do you…trust me?"

The young kunoichi hardly dared to breathe. She wondered what would make him ask such a thing. Beneath her shirt, her heart began to palpitate nervously. _Ba-thump. Ba-thump. Ba-thump._

"Of course, Naruto."

The blonde met her gaze with eyes of liquid ruby. _'I don't know when I realized this…'_

As he stepped forward so that their foreheads touched, Hinata's heart lodged itself in her throat.

'…_but I….'_

He bent forward and for a brief moment their lips met in a simple kiss. Strings of fire raced through his veins and with it, a spark of something…an emotion…that he had never felt before.

For a while, neither of them spoke. Around them flickering shadows danced to an unheard melody. The already dank cavern took on a muted atmosphere. Naruto stepped back to gaze apprehensively at Hinata, who was a rather healthy shade of pink. Embarrassment set in; the awkward stillness between the two intensified.

Just then, Naruto realized that he wasn't wearing any clothes. A scarlet rash spread brightly across both cheeks. Both hands did little to cover his indecency.

"Gah!! Hinata. Um…I'm n-not w-w-wearing anything!"

Hinata turned red as a beat, swallowed thickly, then fainted dead away. Naruto caught her and laid her gently on the floor.

'_With her hair spread out like that…she almost looks like an angel…And I just kissed her. I hope she doesn't hate me when she wakes up again. This is going to be hard to explain to Itachi-sensei.'_

Indecisively Naruto bit his lip. Should he take Hinata to his room before her clothes grew damp from the floor despite his nakedness, or instead dress himself first before handling her body? In the end, common sense won the battle. He carried Hinata bridal style, wary of touching her any more then necessary, to his room and gently laid her on his bed.

"…I'm sorry, Hinata…" he whispered aloud to the prone form of a kunoichi. "I hope…in the end…that you won't hate me like everyone else does in Konoha."

The slick black floor sent him tumbling to his knees. Ignoring the scratches that almost immediately began to heal, he hurriedly dried himself off and dressed. The last bit of steam vaporized from the newly healed skin, leaving in completely unblemished.

"**Thank you…Kyuubi." **

"**You like the Hyuuga girl, do you not?"**

Naruto stopped in his tracks and glared inwardly at the crimson fox. A smug chuckle was the only reply.

'_**You are too much fun to tease, kit.' **_

Fluffy yellow strands of hair stuck out as the genin rapidly toweled his hair dry. He ran a hand through it once or twice, clumping most of it together in its usual brilliant locks. Anxiety weighted like a stone in his stomach; Hinata's anger was not something he was ready to face. What if she decided that she no longer wanted to be his friend? Or worse? What if she hated him?

Shaking his head to rid himself of the preposterous thoughts, he went back to his room. It was cooler than he remembered. The change in climate rang alarm bells in his mind. Something wasn't right; he stepped back warily, unsure of the event's precipitation.

"This is really weird. What the heck is going on."

Just then he heard the creak of springs. He turned and saw Shizuka seated on his bed. The slight slump of her back and shoulders suggested remorse.

"Whoa. You scared me. You're so stealthy. You have to teach me how to do that.

The girl's eyes conveyed happiness at the sincere comment, but then she looked down and turned scarlet.

"Oh, crap!! I'm so sorry!!" Naruto said as he realized what her gaze implied.

Upon finding a young girl hidden beneath his bed, he had completely forgotten his nudity. He covered himself and dashed back to the wet cave, but the floor was slick and as soon as his foot met water, he flew into the air and landed on his stomach with an "OOFF."

"Owww…"

Naruto stood and began to dry himself off. He took this time to examine the new clothes that he'd received from Shizuka. A well-fitting white muscle shirt, a new chain-mail vest, another white shirt, (this one short-sleeved) , a pair of plain cotton boxers, and a pair of grey-green cargo pants.

After folding the damp towel he left it on an empty dry ones and returned to his room. He expertly fastened the newer of the weapon belts to his right leg. The he tediously examined each and every kunai before selecting the sharper ones and slid them into their pouch. Hinata still lay unmoving upon his bed.

"Um…Shizuka? Is there any way to wake her up, or would it be best to wait?."

The moonlight-haired girl lifted her head at the second option.

"Okay." was Naruto's reply. "Well, do you want to tell me some things about yourself."

The kunoichi's smile widened but then she frowned. Her body posture suggested that she

didn't understand.

"I'll ask questions and you can write the answers down with these."

Naruto held out a piece of paper and a thin pencil. The girl scribbled her name on a piece of paper.

"So, your name is Shizuka?"

She nodded.

"And how old are you?"

The number thirteen appeared on the page beside her name.

"Can you speak?"

Her bubble-gum pink eyes darkened slightly.

"I choose not to." she wrote after some time.

Just then Hinata stirred and opened her eyes. Scarlet raced across both cheeks as she remembered the incident.

"I-I'm really sorry, N-Naruto-kun."

"Hinata-chan. It's okay. You've got to stop blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault. I hope…" Naruto's downcast gaze shot pangs of sympathy at Hinata's heart. "…that you will forgive me."

Hinata held her breath as she hugged him in an effort to comfort the distraught ninja. It felt strange, hugging him, but it was also kind of nice. It made her feel warm and happy. Excitement rushed through her.

'_I can't believe I'm actually hugging Naruto!'_

Without warning Naruto's stomach growled. He gave a chagrined smile and stepped out of Hinata's arms. When he looked at her again, his eyes shown blithely.

"Um…Shizuka. Is it time for yoshuko yet? He-he. I'm soooooooooooo hungry."

Shizuka gestured for them to follow her and the two older genin trailed behind as she lead them through a maze of hallways.

**Holy crap!! 21 pages in mac.word. I had some conversion issues. I greatly apologize for this super-ultra-mega late chapter. I hope to hear some feed-back. Maybe that will motivate my lazy ass to get in gear again. Oh yeah. Whoops. Almost forgot the translations.**

**Yoshuko- dinner**

**aniki- big brother**

**chan- friendly suffix used between girls who are friends and when a boy around the same age talks to them.**

**kun- term of friendship used between boys and girls when they talk to boys they know familiarly.**

**tenketsu- chakra points.**

**Oh. And thanks to: Alright!!! To everyone who reviewed!! You all rock my socks! I never though I'd get this many. I superhumongous thanks goes out to:** The Fifth Rider of Armaggedon, Havock, DarkRavie, gogeta408, TheHybrid02, S-Wanderer999, saiyan prince1, sunny-rain, Death Incarnate, Crazy Neko Girl ( you're secret's safe with me, lol ), Zeroni420, Tsumetai Taiyoukai, Ryo Yuriko, Ero-sennin-clone ( I'm still in love with your name. He-he ), Chronostorm ( Yes she did and Hiashi is a bastard. He's going to pay though, don't worry ), PaulRap Raptor, hope-master, Jeannine ( Thanks a lot ), heir of okami, daragon 10, Karuma Kinsei, icegoddess52, Aracade ( thats 'cause it will, in the future ), KaiPhoenix ( appreciate the hug ), Silver Warrior ( hands an Anko Plushie ), Harteramo, faern, Dragon Man 180, Fire Dragon Master, and Tw33ty Jr.


	15. The Kiss

**Hopefully I'll be able to finish this chapter on time. Thanks so much for your reviews, comments, suggestions, and everything else. I'll try my best to make sure this isn't a filler like the last chapter. I also pray that my writing is improving. I'm trying to infuse words with more emotion and get more descriptive imagery in my stories. I thank all those who read and reviewed my last chapter and who stuck with me patiently until I could update again. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do, however, own Shizuka. By the way, if anyone wants to make a picture of her on deviant art for me, let me know so I can send you a description if you need one. You can find my user name on my profile. **

**Chapter 16. The Kiss**

Dinner, as it turned out, was ramen. Naruto caught a whiff of the noodles' distinctive scent as they followed Shizuka to the dining hall. He sped to the table and seated himself quickly, all the while singing, "Ramen, ramen, ramen, ramen, ramen, ramennnn!"

Itachi sent him an incredulous look, as if he could not believe that his new pupil had spontaneously come up with a song about sodium-packed noodles in the span of eight seconds.

"I don't have to tell you, Shizuka, do I?"

Shizuka fiddled with the fabric around her face, which made both genin do a double take. If it weren't for the fact that she was a girl, she would have almost surely looked like a certain silver-haired jounin from Konoha.

Itachi sent his youngest pupil a knowing look. Shizuka lowered the fabric, revealing an X-shaped scar across her left eye.

She sent him a look of blatant anger before returning to her miso-flavored ramen. For a while none of them spoke. Instead, they invited a somber solitude into the dining hall. Much to everyone's surprise it was their sensei that broke the silence.

"Hinata. You are from the Hyuuga Clan, are you not?"

Hinata turned scarlet before muttering something beneath her breath.

"I'm afraid I couldn't quiet catch that."

Naruto shot his sensei a look that clearly read "Be gentle, please." while Shizuka gave the blushing genin sympathetic glance.

"I s-s-said…Please d-don't judge me by my clan. S-S-some of t-the things my…Hiashi has done…are despicable." the finality of her declaration sent chills through Naruto's body.

'_What could her father have done to make her feel this way. Either way, I swear he's going to pay!'_

Itachi nodded, apparently satisfied with her answer. "Well said. I myself am not too fond of the man. Too much of an egocentric idiot for me."

Naruto spat his ramen out and burst into laughter, rolling around on the floor while holding his stomach. One might have thought that he was having a seizure. Shizuka eyed him with a look that practically suggested idiocy. Almost as if she were saying, "You moron. You're going to choke."

"N-Naruto-kun. Are you okay?!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, Hinata." Naruto sat back up, still suppressing the occasional giggle and began to eat again.

Hinata finally seemed to remember Itachi's question because she coughed nervously. "To be honest, I don't really know much. I've learned what…Hiashi taught me before he decided…that I was no good. I do know how to activate the Byakugan with hand seals. And…" the Hyuuga seemed to have no idea what to say next. She looked down guiltily.

"She's pretty good in short-range combat."

Hinata's face turned scarlet at the sincerity within the compliment. "I haven't learned much in the way of the Hyuuga Style. He gave up….right after he taught me the Rotation."

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but the Uchiha beat him to it. "Let me start your training by telling you all this. Regardless of the circumstances, I will not tolerate either of you speaking negatively of one's self."

This caused both Hinata and Naruto to blink. Suddenly, Naruto released a cry of pain and doubled over as unbearable pain bean to throb behind his eyes.

"Ngh…Crap, that…why does it hurt."

Something cool descended upon his shoulder in a sign of concern. The hand squeezed and a cold blue-green chakra sent icicles running through Naruto's arm and up to the agonizing pulsations of pain behind his eyes.

"Relax, Naruto. Breathe."

Eventually the pain died down to a dull throbbing ache and he looked up into concerned red orbs."

"I wanted to talk to you about this privately, but it seems that it will be impossible now. You're Sharingan, as I'm sure you're aware of, is far above your own skill level now. Because it is almost permanently active rather than it its dormant state, it feeds off of your chakra to sustain itself. However, because of its advancement, the amount of chakra required to keep it active is great and therefore it occasionally compensates by redirecting chakra from your vital organs and limbs to itself."

Hinata seemed to understand, but Naruto was completely lost. The clueless expression on his face sent Shizuka into a fit of giggles.

"What Itachi-sensei means is…is that your Sharingan is….st-stealing chakra from other parts of your body after it activates. That's….m-more than likely t-the cause of the incident in the bath, N-Naruto."

"Oh…Okay." he said, beginning to understand.

"One more thing, Naruto." the genin's rueful expression faltered under Itachi's stern one.

Red eyes met their reflection in cobalt ones.

"You do not have to put on a façade here. You are going to train all day, every day, and prepare yourself. The Chunin Exams are only approximately nine months from now."

"Um…E-Excuse me, I-Ita…." Hinata squirmed in her seat while playing with her fingers. "I m-mean…Itachi-sensei. Will w-we be…training at night or during the day?"

The Uchiha nodded thoughtfully for a moment before answering.

"We will train equally in both environments. Which would you rather start with?"

"N-Night time…If that's best for you, Naruto."

Shizuka lifted the dishes from the container and set them in the sink. Hinata left to assist the girl in cleaning up while Naruto remained behind.

He fidgeted nervously, rather unpleasant memories of the confrontation with his previous sensei about his unusual behavior. Gently he frowned as he brought a hand to the arm where the cuts had been.

No urges to take a kunai and trace it along his arm had come to him since he'd left Konoha. He wondered momentarily if it was just a brief episode in reaction to the stress he endured daily. After all, hiding a kekkei genkai like the Sharingan was no easy task.

"I will train you with Tsukiyoimi, Naruto. In that world I control time, which is exactly what you need."

"All right!!" he shouted joyously, though inside he couldn't quite ignore the little worm of doubt that was slowly feeding on his unease.

Itachi let the barest hint of a smile flicker across his face. More than anything in the world he wanted to see Naruto happy. After all, he deserved a bit of pleasure in his otherwise harsh and cruel life.

'_You are so young, yet you have endured trials as great as Sasuke's.'_

The man pushed away a wave of depression over the loss of his little brother. If there were any way to make the past up to him, he would act upon that opportunity in an instant, even if it meant his death in the process. As a shinobi, he had a keen sense for pain, but emotional pain never fully healed without leaving a scar to remember the past by.

"Training begins tonight."

Just then Hinata and Shizuka walked in, dishes clean and put up back into their designated cupboards; Itachi was and had always been a very organized man. He supposed it came from being an Uchiha, but then one never did truly know.

"W-w-would…Would you be….w-w-willing to give us a t-t-tour, Itachi-sensei?"

He could tell that the girl was trying to keep the stutter from her voice to the absolute best of her ability. He also gathered that she was extremely shy and self-conscious for her age judging by the way she was constantly playing with her hands. She also had a tendency to avoid eye contact though it seemed more out of fear than habit.

Whether Hinata liked it or not, she was going to overcome that while she was here.

"Hai. Follow me. Shizuka. You may start training, unless you want to remain with us."

She started to follow them before the Uchiha spoke again. "If you do decide to come with this, your mask stays off. No ifs, ands, or buts. Understood?"

Much to Itachi's surprise, her eyes shone with something…some spark that had long since been missing after the slaughter of her clan. It looked almost akin to happiness.

"Yes. We're going to be a squad now."

"This is the Zen garden. We will perform most of our meditation here."

The breath was stolen from Naruto at the sight.

A grove of bamboo surrounded the outside of the garden like an impenetrable wall guarding a private sanctuary. Inside the lush dwelling was a small stone bench that sat beside a fishpond with sparkling clear water. Within its depths colorful orange and black koi swam at a leisurely pace amongst smooth grey stones of enormous size.

Several juvenile Sakura trees sat calmly, unmoving even in the presence of powerful chakras. A square stone garden spread about a yard in each direction, swirling circles carved into stone pebbles. A large rock with a flat surface was the only object decorating the otherwise sea of grayness.

There was a long easy silence. They were lost in the beauty of a simple replication of nature. None of them wanted to speak because none of them wanted to shatter the tranquility borne of their quietude.

They left silently, leaving only footprints and taking only memories. It seemed too sacred a place to perform an ordinary task such as meditation. Still, if that was what Itachi desired, then they were all willing to use the garden.

"The rest of these hallways contain empty rooms, storage units, four bathrooms not including the ones in either of your own dwellings, and two training rooms powered by chakra."

Shizuka nodded towards Naruto as if to suggest he should use it to his advantage.

"I guess so." Naruto replied smiling.

'_He hasn't known her for less than a day and yet he is already communicating with her in spite of her mute ability.' _the Uchiha thought with a humor uncharacteristic of him.

"And that concludes this tour. Hinata has decided for you that training will begin at night for the first several months. Hinata, Shizuka, you may return to your room or explore the rest of this domain. Naruto, you and I will exercise a quick training session. Come with me."

Naruto waved over his shoulder before peeling off to follow Itachi. Anxiety bubbled in his stomach, feeding the voracious little worm of self-doubt currently nestled within it. By the time they both reached a training room, Naruto was feeling somewhat nauseous. His fingers twitched involuntarily, grew cold and clammy, and Naruto's gut was preparing itself for the first dry heaves.

Unbeknownst to him, Itachi sensed his growing unease and did his best to comfort the blonde.

"Its nothing to be nervous about." he said as Naruto swallowed nervously. "Its just a bit of chakra training. Hinata should be able to assist you later on because of her abilities with the Byakugan."

He felt Naruto relax slightly, releasing some of the tension buried inside. They came to the Zen garden. Immediately the genin remembered its peaceful serenity and calming waves.

"It is okay to be slightly tense in a battle. It keeps you sharp, but for this task you must relax, otherwise it will not work."

"Hai…" Naruto replied hesitantly.

"Sit down beside me." Itachi said while flaring his cape out behind him before sitting down so as not to get it dirty.

Naruto got to his knees before sliding back and sitting cross-legged next to the older man.

"Close your eyes…breathe in deeply…then exhale. Continue."

He saw only deep blackness that reminded Naruto rather eerily of his own brush with utmost despair. Still, he was determined to perform this task. As part of his training, pride did not allow for him to make careless mistakes. That didn't mean he expected perfection, but a loss of concentration was not allowed.

'_Breathe in….exhale…Breathe in again…exhale.' _this became a little mantra to help him focus. Slowly but surely Naruto felt the apprehension drain from his body. He detected a tendril of chakra snake up to his eyes, activating the Sharingan. A rush of excitement raced through him before he remembered that he had to keep his emotions under control.

'_Breath in again…exhale again…breathe in…'_

He touched a deep pool of stillness inside of him that he had never noticed before. He felt as though he knew exactly what was transpiring inside of his body. This peace was new, refreshing. Like he was being purged of everything negative and having positive forces fill the void.

"I am calm."

When he spoke, it was almost in a monotone voice. The placidity inflected in each word filled Itachi with a sense of accomplishment.

"Well done. Is your Sharingan active?"

"Hai."

"Well done. Then you have achieved the first step of mastering your kekkei genkai. You may practice this on your own time. Have you any idea of the time that has passed?"

"Being relaxed while maintaining focus?" Naruto stated though it was more of a question. "…And…it's been five minutes?"

"Almost an hour, Naruto. See how time slips away when you stop to meditate upon yourself?"

"Mm-hmm."

Itachi could tell that the demon container was immensely grateful for the tranquil reprieve from his thoughts and memories. He also sensed that Naruto was traveling further into himself. Not that it was a bad thing, but he did not want the genin going so far just yet.

"Naruto…Open your eyes."

Said genin gave no response, no indication that he had even heard the man at all.

"Naruto." he spoke a little louder, but still there was no response.

He shook Naruto's shoulder, effectively startling the genin in consciousness once more.

"You are not ready to go that far yet." he explained while noting that the Sharingan was still completely active rather than in its dormant state.

"Right..." said Naruto who was still coming out of his stupor.

"There are deeper levels on consciousness that you can travel to, however, you must have adequate training to do so. As of now, you do not." Itachi explained.

"Oh…Gomen nasai, Itachi-sensei."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You didn't know."

"Right…" Naruto said uncertainly.

"You're done training until tonight. Get some rest so that you will be prepared."

Naruto nodded and left the area. Though the entire place was a maze to him, he managed to navigate through the winding hallways back to his room. Shizuka and Hinata weren't next door so he presumed that they had gone out to explore the rest of the layout.

He collapsed on his bed and drifted off into one of the most peaceful naps he had ever had. When he awoke four hours later, he was surprised that he'd slept for so long. He got up, stretching with one hand and stifling a yawn with the other hand. Never before had he felt so well rested; he smiled, attributing it to the training with Itachi sensei.

The genin's stomach grumbled, but he pushed that aside for the possibility of training.

"I want to feel like that again." he muttered.

Naruto continued his soliloquy while straightening his already tidy room. After finding nothing else to do, he decided that returning to the garden was what he ought to do. Even though this was his new home, he still felt that it was disrespectful to explore the place unsupervised.

Pretty soon he found himself following the most indirect route to the garden. He hoped to find Hinata and see if she wanted to join him in his new "focus training." There was no sign of her anywhere, so he tried to find her by detecting her chakra signature. Much to his dismay he was unable to find it so he went to the garden alone.

In the end, he decided that it didn't really matter as long as he could think in peace. He sat down against one of the pillars supporting the stone bench and watched the fishpond eagerly. He took up his monologue again except that this time it was about Hinata.

"I don't know why…" he began. "But every time I'm around her, its like I get this strange feeling. She's never judged me, never treated me differently like the rest of Konoha."

He shivered as a wave of memories came crashing down over him. He did his best to push them away, but the ensuing depression almost made him want to break down in tears. With one hand he caressed the area where his cuts had previously been. He couldn't explain it, but it felt like he needed the pain right then and there.

Numbly he followed the hallways back to his room, feet unconsciously carrying him down the dark hallways. When he arrived, neither Hinata nor Shizuka were inside. He strode to his leather knapsack and inspected the kunai before selectively choosing the sharpest-looking one.

Despite the sudden onset of depression, common sense had not completely abandoned him.

'_I can't be seen. There is no way that I can be seen, or it will lead to question after question. I have to make this quick.'_

Nimble hands laid the bandages out before lifting his sleeve. He placed the blade on his shoulder and drew it across several times quickly. A gasp escaped his mouth as crimson life bubbled up out of the gaping cuts. He relished in the grasp of pain for a moment or two. Soon he came back to earth, the old personality that was his true self buried beneath an exterior.

He mopped the blood away with a sponge and then applied an antiseptic cream. After he finished, he wrapped gauze around his arm with difficulty and layered bandages on top of it. He tied it securely to make sure that it wouldn't come loose overnight.

"That should do it." he told himself, pushing the first aid kit beneath his bed until he heard it touch the wall. "Can't have anyone finding it here. They'll wonder why it's under my bed. Still, I am a shinobi, so it isn't entirely uncalled for."

"Who are you t-t-talking to?"

"Ah!! Hinata. You really scared me there."

Two smoky eyes observed him for a moment from around the edge of the door. Hinata walked in just as Naruto realized that the bandages were visible under his white shirt. Thinking quickly, he pulled a white jacket from his drawer and slipped it on.

"Is it time for training yet?" he said hastily, hoping with every fiber of his being that Hinata wouldn't question him.

As luck would have it, she didn't. She merely glanced at him with an expression of incertitude on her face. Confusion was evident in her misty eyes.

"Hai. It's a-a-already 9-o-clock. Itachi-sensei s-sent me to g-get you. Shizuka-chan is waiting with him."

Naruto got up and left with Hinata, shutting the door behind to trap the memories. Little did he notice the small puddle of blood on the floor adjacent to his bed.

"So…Which do you prefer more: warm nights or cold nights?" Naruto asked, trying to make light conversation.

"Um…c-c-cold nights." the kunoichi replied shyly.

"Oh, so then you must like it here." Naruto said. "Is that a new jacket you're wearing?"

Hinata was indeed wearing a new jacket. He took in the black fabric and the way it almost hugged her thin frame while almost emphasizing her chest. All in all, it looked especially nice on her. It even had a pouch like a jonin's vest on the lower portion by her left side and another on her right.

"It looks nice on you, Hinata. I like that one a lot better than your beige one, but its not like I'm saying I hated your other jacket because that's not true either!" he said rather hastily.

"Arigatou..."

"You are both running a little late. Shizuka has already started. Follow what she does since she's already familiar with this training exercise."

Itachi sat in the grass, his long black hair blowing behind him in the chilly night breeze. Behind him a sea of stars glittered brilliantly against a frigid backdrop.

"You're doing well," he observed. "Keep it up."

Shizuka was performing different combinations of hand-seals over and over again. The goal of the exercise was to increase the speed of executing jutsus.

Naruto seemed to be having a rougher time at it, but the look in his crimson eyes stated that he clearly was not going to give up. It got easier after fifteen minutes, but after half-an-hour, the two genin had sore fingers and wrists. Shizuka, however, showed no sign of tiring. She continued to progress to twenty-step hand signs.

Sighing, Naruto followed suit with Hinata and began again. He wished that the throbbing in his arm would stop. Every time the fabric brushed against the gauze he feared that the wound would start bleeding through his jacket. Even in the moonlight one could see through the thin cloth.

Evidently the nine-tailed-fox had made the decision to force Naruto to heal himself. He only hoped that Naruto would be able to communicate his depression in a way more constructive than cutting on himself.

'_**Listen, kit, and listen well. I won't be responsible for what happens next time. I do what I must.' **_the fox thought to himself.

"Are we...almost done?" panted Naruto.

His shoulder had long since gone numb and he wanted to escape the crowd so he could check on the cuts. He grimaced as he forced his exhausted fingers through another contortion. Little beads of sweat stood out on his forehead.

'_Still...I think I can feel myself getting faster...better at this somehow. I think...for once...that training is actually working. This is different. Kakashi-sensei never made us do anything like this. The training doesn't even compare.'_

Energy renewed by the mere thought of progress, he completed the next twenty hand signs with ease.

"Come on, Hinata. Lets keep going until we get up to thirty!"

"W-were...almost...there." she replied breathlessly.

"Alright...twenty-nine...thirty!"

Naruto melted onto the ground in a puddle of relief; Hinata sat down beside him with a worn expression on her face. Shizuka looked at their sensei, pride evident in her bubble-gum pink eyes.

"Look, sensei. I did it." her eyes seemed to say.

"Well of course you can do it, Shizuka. You've done this before. Hinata and I are the ones who are new to it." Naruto replied unabashedly.

Itachi was somewhat startled by the genin's response.

'_How is he able to interpret her body language so easily after only meeting her yesterday? Is it because of his own past. Does he know the pain that silence brings? The loneliness and isolation that must be endured if one is to remain unvocal?"_

Shizuka eyed him with an expression akin to Itachi's thoughts.

"Training is complete for the day. Snack, showers, and bedtime. Onigiri will be on the table."

"Right. Lets go, Hinata." Naruto climbed breathlessly to his feet and started towards the mansion when the ground suddenly swirled beneath him. He sunk up to his waist before realizing that it was merely a genjutsu.

"Kai!"

Hinata giggled slightly at the sight of a Naruto half-stuck in the ground with steam spurting from his ears.

"Not funny..." he grumbled good-naturedly.

"Y-Yes it i-is." Hinata replied before bursting into giggles.

Shizuka's eyes danced mirthfully with happiness.

"Keep your guard up at all times, Naruto." Itachi spoke while passing him. "That was Shizuka's lesson for you today. Hinata. Please help Naruto out of the ground and then meet us inside." he gave a nod to the blonde genin still buried to the waist in dirt and then disappeared into the mansion.

"Sorry, Naruto. I apologize...if I offended you...in any way." Hinata spoke hesitantly while helping her secret crush to his feet.

Naruto fought the urge to speak of her words without stuttering, but felt it would only cause her further embarrassment so instead he held his tongue while she continued to speak.

"I don't really...want to go inside yet. Will...will you stay...out here with me?"

"Sure."

The two of them sat against the base of a large tree and gazed openly towards the velvet sky. Millions of stars glimmered and scintillated against a backdrop of black. A freshet of cool wind blew over them, causing the leaves above them to rustle as if whispering back and forth in their own secret language.

"You know..." Hinata began, misty eyes blinking solemnly though she continued to stare at the sky instead of facing Naruto. "When...when I was little...before my mother died...she...she used to tell me stories...about the stars...She used to...but then she got sick." she finished.

Naruto detected the sad note in her voice easily and wanted to comfort her as soon as he could. Still...It wasn't every day that she talked so much, especially to him.

"And then...?" he asked, gently encouraging her to continue.

"Well..." she said. "She couldn't do...all the things I wanted her to...so she sat by the window and watched me play. Her face became pale...her hair became fine and thin...She couldn't breath well on her own, so the doctors put her on a ventilator. And then...one night...she just slipped away from us all."

A pang of empathy tore at Naruto's heartstrings and played a melancholy tune. Depression raged inside, but he pushed it down, willing to fight it for the sake of helping someone else.

' _I don't want to say "I'm sorry." when there was nothing that could have been done.' _he thought.

"It sounds..." Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat. "Like you loved your mother very much. You still do, I bet."

Hinata looked up into tearful red orbs and bit her lip.

"I didn't mean to make...you sad. I just...I just wanted to...you know...get that off my chest."

"Its okay, Hinata." he took his hand and placed it on top of hers in a gesture of comfort. "Everyone has to talk some times."

"Yes...I guess so. Um...Naruto."

Naruto felt the uncertainty in Hinata's voice and squeezed her hand before weaving his fingers between it. A warmth built up his cheeks, but he found himself not wanting to let go. Something about her hand made him feel safe inside, like he could confide all his secrets to her and she wouldn't say a word to anyone. Still, he felt it was her time to vent. He could wait until another day.

"Yes?"

"There has...been something that I've bee...wanting to tell you...for...for a really long time."

The kunoichi swallowed nervously, unsure and somewhat fearful of this new situation. Naruto nodded for her to continue.

"Well...What is it?" he said, trying to act as casually as he could to make the girl feel comfortable.

"It's...really hard to say..." she replied quietly.

'_Come on, come on. Just tell him that you like him, Hinata. It's better than being quiet forever. Naruto is changing to be his true self. It is better to be myself too.'_

"Hey, Hinata..." concerned cerulean eyes gazed at her.

"I...I..."

"...Ilikeyou." she said all at once.

Naruto was taken aback. "You...You do?"

"Hai..." she said shyly.

'_Is that...could that be what I feel for her. Could I like her? Yeah...I think that's it. She inspires me whenever I am sad...she cheers me on...wants me to be stronger...She doesn't judge me and she always believes in me.'_

"I...I like you too, Hinata."

He felt his heartbeat speed up a notch as she drew closer if to check if he was serious and not just playing around.

"Really. I do."

"W-w-would...you...k-k-kiss me?" she stammered her way through the question.

Naruto briefly closed the remaining distance between them by brushing his lips against hers. He felt Hinata flinch slightly and ended the kiss.

"I won't ever hurt you, Hinata. Never." he kissed her again, chastely, and deep feelings of affection brought them to another dimension.

"N-Naruto." Hinata said after he had pulled back. "I know...that you won't hurt me...I trust you."

Silently, Naruto stood, wiping the grass from his pants before he held out his hand to Hinata. Together they walked back to their rooms, still holding hands, still listening to their heartbeats in sync, and still remembering the kiss.

**Wow...I never thought I was going to finish so fast. Hope you all liked the ending. I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed my story because I really appreciate all of you guys' support. Oh yeah, and to answer someone's question. Yes, Shizuka can speak, but she chooses not to. Its been years since she's spoken.**


	16. Removal of the Seal

**I know it took me like forever to type up this chapter. It's been like what, three months? I know, I know. But aren't you all glad I finally updated? He-he. Well, anyways, that's pretty much it for me. Sorry for any errors I might have accidentally made. I tried really hard to get this posted for you guys. So, enough said. Read and enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: You've got to be kidding. Me, own Naruto? If I did, I'd be a lot richer than I am now. Of course I don't own Naruto.**

**Note: This chapter is dedicated to mkt for his or her eagerness to read the next chapter. Enjoy!!**

Chapter 16. Removal of the Seal

Naruto woke in the middle of the night for no reason. He sat up and sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair. His eyes were scratchy as though he'd been crying in his sleep and they hurt whenever he blinked.

He lay awake in bed for sometime, staring blankly at the dark ceiling. Emotions swam in his head like the lurid colors of a pop art painting. Regret. Guilt. Worry. Fear. Worry was prevalent. He brooded over how things were going in Konoha without him. Curiosity plagued him until he could stand it no more.

He tossed back the covers and bent forward stretching to loosen up his tight muscles. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he retrieved several articles of clothing and headed off to the bath. He was careful to stay near the shallow edge lest his activated Sharingan drew upon more chakra from other parts of his body.

The genin dunked his head underwater, hoping to clear his mind. It worked. The water that submersed him was cool and refreshing. He swam closer to the edge and put his arms out on either side of the rim, allowing him to think in peace.

'_Hinata.' _was the first thought that came to his mind.

He shut his eyes as he remembered the softness of her skin against his own and the gentle kiss that they'd shared. He smiled in the darkness, feeling a light finally shine on his dark, jaded soul.

It felt good, no, relieving, to finally have someone who understood him. Just then he heard a noise. It almost sounded like a thud followed by a muffled scream. And it sounded like it was coming from the room next door.

He leapt up and quickly dried himself off, taking care not to slip on the slick black rock.

Once clothed, he crept down the hallway, following the sound with his sensitive ears. Thud! He heard it again. He came to Hinata's door and stood behind it, fearful of entering the girl's room.

A low keening "Ahhh..." filled Naruto with trepidation.

'_Is she having a nightmare or something?'_

"**Well, brat. That's what it sounds like."**

'_Shut up, fox. This is serious.'_

'_**What's it look like I'm doing?' **_the fox growled thoughtfully.

'_I'm going in.' _

'_**That could have been interpreted in so many other ways.'**_

His hand touched the cool wooden framed door and pushed it open with the rustle of papyrus. What he saw made his blood run cold. It looked like Hinata's wrists were being pinned down as she struggled against an invisible opponent. She was writhing on the bed, a sheen of sweat blanketing her face. Just then her body contorted and she let out a low groan.

"...Hi-Hiashi...No...Please. NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" she cried out as her eyes opened, blind with panic and fear.

"Hinata...What did the bastard do to you? Surely, not that. Surely...surely not your own father would commit that unspeakable act." he lied, trying to convince himself otherwise though he knew from the kunoichi's nightmare that that was exactly what it was.

He approached her side, but she did not look up from the covers. Her white knuckles clenched the bed sheets in a death grip.

"I'm...s-s-sorry." she bit out after minutes of silent. She let out a gasping choked sob and burst into hysterical tears while rocking herself back and forth.

"Shh,shh,shh...It's gonna be okay, Hinata." Naruto whispered into the darkness.

The blond hugged her tightly, wrapping his arms around her still-trembling frame.

"That bastard can't hurt you anymore. I promise. I promise." he repeated over and over until finally the frightened girl began to calm down.

"I just...I just...Its my fault." she breathed.

"No, Hinata." Naruto replied, making her face him directly. "It's not your fault what that no-good, arrogant, prideful prick did." he finished fiercely.

"I am going to rip his..." he tried to think of a more polite word to use but found none. "...Balls off and shove them down his throat. Maybe then he'll think twice before hurting you anymore."

This earned a small giggle from the dark-haired girl.

"And then I'll Tsukuyomi his ass and make him relive it for the next year and a half."

She giggled again. Encouraged by this behavior, he tried to come up with other insane yet completely justifiable punishments.

"And then we'll hang him by his thumbs until he's begging for mercy. And then...and then..."

"And then WHAT is going on in here?"

Both Naruto and Hinata froze before turning to meet one ticked-off sleep-deprived Uchiha Itachi. Naruto instantly burst into laughter upon seeing his sensei's hair for it stuck up in all directions as crazily as a modern teenager's hair with maximum hair gel.

In reality, Itachi overhead the conversation between the two genin and knew what had transpired. However, it was neither the time nor the place to question Hinata. He didn't want to damage the fragile bond between them after a mere day of training, so instead he said in the most feminine voice he could bear to muster up and said,

"Uchihas require beauty sleep. Go back to bed and wake up at seven." and then he left.

The two genin giggled breathlessly before Hinata's face took on a solemn appearance.

"You can punish him." she said with an inner strength that Naruto found awe-inspiring. "But don't kill him."

"Why not? He deserves death for...what he did to you." Naruto paused, unsure of how to state her injury.

"Because then...he won't have the rest of his life to live in repentance and regret."

"**Wise words, girl." **

'_I'll tell her later. She doesn't know I can talk to you...Least I don't think so."_

"Wow...That's...that's really deep, Hinata. You thought this out, didn't you?"

"Y-yeah." she stuttered, obviously embarrassed. "Um...N-Naruto? Could you d-d-do me a f-favor?"

"Anything, Hinata. Just say the word."

"W-w-well." she began while playing nervously with her fingers. "Would y-you...you know...s-stay with me...until I fall asleep?"

Naruto was grateful of the cover that the dark room provided because otherwise Hinata would have seen his burning cheeks.

'_She feels safer with me around. I only hope I can live up to my promise. I don't want to scare her or anything...But she makes me feel needed. I feel...This feels so right between us.'_

Unbeknownst to him a small fragment of his porcelain heart had been repaired. Though years of neglect, abuse, and self-loathing, his soul grew weeds of prickling thorns. But now, now someone was tearing down those walls of his garden and trimming away the weeds to reveal a sparkling stone of aspirations and dreams. And like a butterfly released from a cocoon, it flew out into its newfound freedom.

"Yes. I will." he said comfortingly.

The genin sighed as she rested her head snugly against Naruto's chest. Her eyelids fluttered shut just as Naruto's fingers weaved their way between her own. The two kids fell asleep reveling in the warmth they shared with one-another.

Night passed over them like a guardian angel keeping a watchful eye over her children. The sky faded from black to light blue, steadily easing up hues until the colors of the approaching dawn painted the heavens.

Naruto awoke before Hinata as his internal alarm sensed that it was approaching seven-o-clock. He yawned, stretching his arms out wide and popping the joints. Hinata stirred beneath his chin.

"Morning, love." he said, kissing her gently on the cheek.

"Th-thank you...Naruto. A-and good morning to you too."

Naruto stood to leave.

"I'll let you get ready," he said before shutting the door respectively behind him.

Hinata poured through her drawers, opting for her usual dark Capri pants only to discover that there was a hole in one side about the size of her closed fist. She stuck a nimble finger through the gap and let out a small sigh.

'_I can see what other clothes Itachi-sensei has left for me.'_

She folded the pants neatly before placing them back in an empty drawer. Perhaps she could repair them later with a needle and thread. A part of her wasn't quite ready to discard her precious garments from Konoha. She wanted something to remind her of the village.

Most of the other clothes were light or beige in color much to her dismay. She appreciated darker colors because they hid her frame from view. However, as she slipped on a pair of pale pink cargo Capri pants and a dark purple tank top, she noticed that the lighter colors lifted her mood slightly.

She slid on her khaki jacket and zipped it up before making her way to the dining hall. Naruto and Shizuka were already waiting along with their sensei. She bowed formally.

"Good morning, Itachi-sensei."

He returned her greeting and they all sat down to dine. Breakfast was kushi-age, deep-fried beef and vegetables on skewers.

"Who made this?" she asked as bit into a tender piece of beef. "It's really good," she said after swallowing.

"Naruto and I did. He has to learn to cook properly now. He will not get away with eating ramen here. Those noodles are unhealthy and will do nothing but harm your intestines." Itachi explained.

Naruto groaned. "Aw, man. Are you serious?"

The rest of the meal was eaten in friendly silence. Once they were finished, no leftovers remained and Naruto and Hinata took the dishes to the kitchen to clean them.

"Leave them for now. We'll begin training so come with me."

Itachi led them to the small, secluded area where they had meditated yesterday and let them inside first.

"We're meditating?" Naruto questioned as he wiped the sheen of sweat from his face. Despite the fact that the temperature was a mere eighty degrees outside it was very humid. Even the bamboo leaves seemed to droop in the sticky heat.

"Hai." the elder man replied.

He removed his black cloak to reveal a pale yet well-toned body wearing a black fishnet shirt and loose black pants with straps that went under the heels of his feet.

Hinata blushed a deep red as she removed her jacket and set it down beside hr. She felt naked, vulnerable, and uncomfortable without the baggy sweater she used to hide her features. She caught Naruto staring but he quickly looked away.

'_Does he hate the way I look...?'_

Naruto spoke up as if he had read Hinata's mind.

"You're...beautiful," he said. "You shouldn't wear your jacket so much."

"Oh...Y-You really think so?" the stutter in Hinata's voice practically vanished under the little bud of confidence blooming in her chest. "Okay then."

'_I must try to make everyone more comfortable with each other around here. Should I say something humorous? Uchihas don't do humor.' _the Uchiha thought as he sighed uncharacteristically.

"Enough, lovebirds." Itachi said with an eye twitching. He was only joking, but Hinata turned scarlet and Naruto coughed nervously; Shizuka stifled a laugh at her sensei's antics. "We are training, not having a talk-a-thon."

"Right, right." Naruto replied, sitting down on the ground.

He let out a groan, as the seat of his pants grew damp with dew.

"W-what is it?"

"My butt's all wet now."

"We will not use such vulgar language in my presence. Now. Begin meditation. I will tell you when we will move on to the second half of training."

Both genin nodded and closed their eyes, searching for their centers of peace. Outwardly, Itachi let a small smile slip across his face. Things were going better than he expected. Hinata's stutter was already becoming less apparent as her self-confidence grew. And Naruto. Well...Naruto was learning, albeit slowly, to reveal his true feelings instead of hiding behind a happy-go-lucky look-at-me-I'm-the-village-idiot mask.

Itachi allowed his own emotions to assess the situation. There were approximately seven months until the beginning of the Chuunin Exams. That meant seven months of training before he sent Naruto and Hinata back to the Leaf Village. Would Shizuka go with them?

He wasn't sure if he would be able to part with the pink-eyed girl.

Despite his somewhat frigid exterior, Itachi felt guilty inside for leaving Naruto as a helpless victim. Still. He had done all he could do. Leaving Naruto...Was just as hard as leaving Sasuke.

'_Sasuke...I miss you, little brother.'_

He felt his thoughts slip away like night giving way to the sun as he slipped further into meditation. Itachi sank down in his mind until the world around him faded to black and the heat disappeared, replaced instead by a cool, refreshing breeze. Really, it was amazing what one could do when they had complete control over their mind.

Naruto tried to clear his mind of thoughts but found it next to impossible.

'_I have to do this. I have to achieve my goal. I can't let Itachi down. I promised him...that I would become the strongest ninja in Konoha.'_

No matter how hard he tried, random thoughts kept snapping back like a rubber band. They were both painful and distressing.

Hinata's rape. Itachi's disappearance from his life five years ago. The introduction to Shizuka, a quiet girl who was a living female child replica of his old sensei. Konoha's existence without him. He wondered how everyone was doing. Especially Sasuke.

Sasuke...The serious, dark-haired genin who still believed that Itachi was responsible for the death of his family's clan...There was so much to say about him. Although they had been rivals, Naruto felt the bond between them growing even as they fought.

Now...Now that bond had been stretched along its length like a chewed piece of gum; sinking down in the middle and becoming thinner and thinner until it was only hanging on by a single filament of goo.

Each thought brought fresh waves of white-hot mental agony. The last memory of his time in Konoha came back to him the way a recalcitrant boomerang might return to an unsuspecting child.

START MEMORY.

1_Naruto shoved his hands deep into his pockets and walked along the edge of the street, his footsteps made sharp staccato noises against the cobblestone. A slight wind teased his hair and tugged at his clothes. At the moment, he was perfectly content._

_He continued to walk until he reached an open field. His eyes traveled to the verdant grass dancing in the wind. Three large posts sat firmly in the ground, casting short shadows on the ground. The sight of the lush greenery combined with the clear sky overhead was simply breathtaking._

_'This is where Sasuke and Sakura and I were tested after we all met Kakashi-sensei.' he thought._

_Rays of sunlight streaked across the area. He turned his face up to let the radiant warmth spread through his body. A sigh escaped his lips. Before he had any chance of stopping himself, he fell stomach first onto the soft grass and rolled over so that he was lying on his back in the field._

"_Am I really...going to leave this all behind? Konoha really is beautiful."_

"_**But its people aren't. No one here respects you, brat."**_

"_So?" Naruto asked, letting the insult slide. It didn't really bother him anymore._

"_**I will never understand you humans."**_

"_Yeah, yeah. You say that all the time. I'll train with Itachi and Hinata to become really strong. Then I'll come back and show everyone...even Sasuke. I'll kick his butt so bad it'll be sore for the rest of his life."_

"_**Right, brat. That is, if you even survive the Uchiha's training."**_

"_Cut it out, fluff-ball. You're ruining my good mood."_

"_**I am not ever, ever, ever, be referred to as fluff-ball. I am entitled to respect, you stinking brat."**_

_Naruto snickered at the fox's choice of words. He had already seen the biju sealed within his stomach and decided that, more than anything, the nine-tailed fox looked like a giant ball of crimson fur._

"_Right. Of course you aren't." Naruto whispered to himself with a grin._

_He closed his eyes against the blinding sunlight and began to snooze. Naruto woke up a short while later when a cool shade fell over his face. Since he was warm from laying in the sun and didn't really want to get up just yet, he cracked open one blue eye._

_'Dark hair...black eyes...bangs...looks all emo...face neutral...how the hell is his expression even possible...? I mean, does he have a kunai stuck up his butt or something. It's gotta be...'_

"_Sasuke? What gives? I was enjoying myself and for once I wasn't bothering you." Naruto closed his eye against the image of Sasuke's face._

_Naruto could tell by the dark blurry shadow in front of his eyelids that Sasuke was still standing in front of him. Laughing inwardly, he decided to ignore the Uchiha._

_'It'll be worth it if I can get one last rouse out of him before I -' Naruto's thoughts were broken off quite suddenly when sunlight burned into the back of his eyelids._

"_What the-?!" Naruto shot up and blinked painfully in the bright light._

_Sasuke was sitting coolly beside him with a neutral expression on his face. He didn't say anything at first; just merely watched Naruto from the corner of his eye. After several minutes of silence he stretched himself out on the ground and closed his eyes._

_The silence lengthened between them for what seemed like an eternity to Naruto, but it wasn't uncomfortable. He followed Sasuke's motion and folded his hands behind his head as a cushion. The grass was like a soft cradle. He sneezed when a long blade tickled his nose. 'Why couldn't things always be this peaceful? Why did I have to be the one...why couldn't the fox demon have been sealed inside someone else? Why did it have to be me?'_

_Reflecting over his thoughts, he sank into a contented half-sleep. He wasn't expecting Sasuke to speak at all so he was startled when the older boy began to talk._

"_I normally wouldn't ask this but..." Sasuke paused and turned away._

_He seemed to be searching for words to say. This surprised Naruto. Sasuke didn't seem like the type of person to have trouble voicing his thoughts. 'Its probably about the training exercise earlier today. He prefers to keep to himself and although he might not talk much, he's never afraid to speak his mind.'_

"_Would you help me train tomorrow?"_

_It seemed like the genin wanted to say more, but he bit himself off and glanced at Naruto. Naruto was genuinely surprised by the question. Sasuke seemed to sense this and stood up._

"_Never mind." he recanted. "You wouldn't be much help anyways. You're way weaker than I am."_

_He was about to leave when Naruto called out._

"_Hey wait! I can if you want me to. Don't go."_

_Sasuke looked at Naruto. He shielded his eyes from the glaring sunshine as the genin approached him._

"_Just tell me the time and place and I'll be there."_

"_Saturday at 6 AM. That isn't a problem, is it?" Sasuke shoved his hands coolly in his pockets._

"_No...Um...What's today?" Naruto felt like an idiot asking the question but asked anyways._

"_It's Friday."_

_Naruto breathed in sharply. 'Today's Friday?! How could I have forgotten? Oh man. I gotta go home and get my things packed. I have to be at the edge of the Konoha forest by 4 AM tomorrow. Ah, Naruto!! How could you have forgotten?! Hinata's probably gotten her stuff together already and I haven't even gotten started'_

"_**Don't run away or say anything stupid, brat. Sasuke catches on quickly. He will know if you're hiding something."**_

"_I KNOW!" Naruto shouted mentally._

_He flashed what he hoped was a convincing grin and nodded._

"_Yeah! Of course I'll be there. But uh...I gotta go now. See ya tomorrow!!"_

END MEMORY.

Naruto found himself walking down the hallways of his mind almost without realizing where his feet were taking him. A low, deep growl echoed through the caverns. He made a right and kept on going until he was face to face with the nine-tails fox. Ruby red eyes stared unseeing at the crimson-clad fox.

"**What do you think you are doing, brat?"**

His hand reached up towards the paper seal barring the doors from entrance of exit, depending on which side of the cage one was on.

"I'm...setting you free."

The fox looked at Naruto with the closest thing to alarm shining in its deep black eyes.

"**Kit, no. You'll be destroyed."**

'_What...am I doing? I can't...control myself.'_

Naruto tried doing everything he could think of, tried opening his eyes, but found himself frozen in his mind. And burgundy eyes watched in horror as his right hand came up and tore the seal from the cage with a _shrrrrrip!!_

**To answer someone's question, it takes me about...three weeks to come up with a new chapter because I'm so lazy and I procrastinate so much. But now that summer is here, I really don't have anything to do besides work on my stories. Hopefully the updates will come faster. I apologize again for this absolutely sucky chapter. My writing's been super-bad lately, but I did the best that I could. Thank you for reading this chapter of 'Into the Darkness.'**


	17. Merge With the Demon

A lot of people were thrown off by Naruto's actions

**A lot of people were thrown off by Naruto's actions. Actually, I was too. I didn't even know that was going to happen. I just knew I needed to make it suspenseful and interesting. A special thanks goes to undeadyeti for boosting my confidence in my writing ability. I've tried to make this as close to my old chapters as possible. Thanks so much for continuing to read my story!! **

**Just a gentle reminder of ages:**

**Itachi: 22: S-Rank missing-nin.**

**Sasuke:15: genin ( I may never explain why his age is so much older than the others. I just don't remember, : ( **

**Sakura:13: genin**

**Naruto: 12: genin**

**Shizuka: I think she's 13...I can't quite remember how long she's been traveling with Itachi.**

**Disclaimer: All I own is the plotline. The characters, except Shizuka, are licensed to Masashi Kishimoto, the wonderful creator of Naruto.**

**Chapter 17. Merge with the Demon**

Rippling red chakra spilled out all around Naruto like molten lava from a volcano. He curled into a tight fetal position as he rode out the waves of agony pounding through his body. Faintly he could hear someone calling his name, but a sound similar to radio static was washing through his ears and it distorted all noise around him.

"Naruto. Naruto!"

"What's going on? What's happening to him?" Hinata cried

"The seal. It's loose. No...it's...it's gone."

"What?! How could this happen?"

Naruto felt his breath forcefully yanked from him as the blood-red chakra poured out around him. It crawled over his skin like little zaps of static electricity. It snapped and crackled whenever Itachi or Hinata tried to get close and it burned those in the vicinity.

Hinata sat back, wincing as she rubbed a second-degree burn on her arm and watching in horror as Naruto began to writhe on the ground before her. Itachi, for once, was completely lost. He had no idea what to do and his knowledge of sealing techniques was incomplete. He knew little of how to restore the broken seal. Still, he had to try.

"Stand back, Hinata," he commanded swiftly as he took his place beside Naruto's squirming form.

He began a complicated series of hand signs that led to the one of the few seals he knew how to perform. He was almost finished when a blinding light dazzled his vision and sent him flying back into the bamboo surrounding them.

Itachi grunted in pain as his back hit the tall stalks with a force to be reckoned with. Hinata and Shizuka landed somewhat more gently than he did. The older man stood, stumbling slightly from the impact, and looked on in horror as Naruto's body began to change.

His nails grew long and sharp while his hair fell down in front of his face, growing and spiking out even more than usual. The color of it changed, taking on a slightly reddish hue while the tips turned bright crimson to match the chakra that was now being absorbed by his body.

A scream of agony tore loose from his throat as his bones and joints popped, lengthening to increase his height. The whisker marks on his cheeks faded entirely; they disappeared and the skin became smooth and normal. He cried out one more time before passing out. But his body didn't fall unconscious. Instead, when he spoke, it was the voice of the Kyuubi-no-kitsune.

"**I am the nine-tails-fox that resides within Naruto. The brat removed my seal and we have merged to become one. It was the only...It was the only thing I could do to save him."**

Itachi was in the closest thing you could call to shock. He was speechless at first, but he quickly regained his Uchiha composure.

"Very well then. I am grateful for your help," he said finally, struggling with the last part.

It wasn't often that he needed help with something.

"**I will train this boy with my knowledge of the world and you will train him to use the Sharingan." the fox growled.**

Naruto's crimson eyes glowed even brighter before shutting as the nine tailed fox's power receded, leaving the genin taller, thinner, and with flawless skin. The only sign that the Kyuubi resided within the genin was the gently pulsating vat of demonic chakra that now surged through his chakra veins at all times.

Hinata ran to Naruto's side and lifted his head up. She stroked one unmarked cheek with concern.

"The whisker marks are gone."

"Trust me, Hinata. The nine-tails is still within him, as we both just witnessed."

"And he's taller." she laughed demurely. "His hair is different too."

Her small hand fingered the reddish blond hair that now covered Naruto's hair. She touched the carmine tips as well, giggling softly.

"Wow...Naruto-kun is going to be really surprised when he wakes up."

"Speaking of waking up," said Itachi, brushing a strand of hair from his face (his ponytail had come undone after he hit the ground) ", he'll need to rest while his body recuperates. I'll take him to his room. You and Shizuka can stay here and meditate until I return."

The Uchiha picked up the unconscious genin and took him to his room. He laid Naruto on the bed and drew the covers over him the way a father might for a son.

"Th...thanks..." Naruto breathed, his eyes still shut.

The sun was nearly setting when Naruto woke up. His body felt heavy and thick, like a lead weight. But something felt off as he stood, stumbling, and reached for the bedpost to keep his balance. Everything seemed...smaller somehow...lesser in height. He shook his head, hoping to rid the fuzzy cobweb feeling but instead it only made him dizzier.

Naruto started to run a hand through his hair but stopped when he caught sight of his new sharp nails. He felt one with a finger and winced when it bit into his skin. A drop of blood fell to the floor.

'_Ow...What the heck?! What is going on? Why does everything seem smaller? And why are my nails longer?'_

"**You should go look in the mirror, brat."**

In a half stupor the genin began to tear his room apart in search for a mirror. Just then Hinata came in and was greeted by a plain white shirt flung in her general direction. It landed on the floor beside her feet.

"N-Naruto...What are you doing?" she asked timidly.

Naruto stopped and turned around. Even Hinata seemed smaller than usual.

"Argh...What the heck is going on? Why is everything different...Why do I have nails...Why is..?" he sighed, and for a moment Hinata was reminded of their arrival when Naruto had fallen to his knees in exhaustion with a haunted look in his eyes.

Hinata fished a small mirror from the depths of her pants pocket and handed it too him. He nearly dropped it in shock. The crimson tips of his reddish blonde hair just barely touched the small of his back. His fingernails that grasped the looking glass were long and razor sharp

'_Wait a minute...What the...What's going on? Is my hair...longer.?'_

"What happened?" Naruto asked at last.

"**Do you not remember, brat? You tore the seal from my cage. My power nearly overwhelmed you, but I did what I could. You now have access to my chakra at all times. Your body, however, changed to compensate for the larger amount of chakra flowing through you now." **

'_Really?'_

"**I do not lie."**

'_Why did you save me?'_

"**I am tired, brat. That was quite an ordeal, even by my standards. I require rest to recuperate."**

'_Thanks, Kyuubi.'_

'_**You're welcome, kit.'**_

"–ruto? Naruto?"

Naruto stopped listening to the nine-tails and focused on Hinata's moving mouth.

"Yes, Hinata? What is it."

"You...sort of...I don't know...grew distant. Did...did you hear what I said?"

Naruto shook his head guiltily, knowing that he would pay for it later, even if it was by his own hand. The depression had been on and off since his arrival, but he already felt like he was spiraling down into a deep pit just because he hadn't been listening to Hinata.

"No. Eh-he." he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "What were you saying? I'll pay attention this time, I promise."

"I...s-said." Hinata started, then took another breath and spoke again. "I said that Itachi-sensei thinks you merged with the demon within you and that you're appearance changed because of it. I also...I also think that you're stronger now."

She smiled, feeling more confident in herself than she had in a while.

'_I said an entire sentence without stuttering. I did it. I did it!' _she thought happily.

Glowing with pride, she walked right up to Naruto and kissed him on the lips. Naruto was surprised, but he responded gently. There was no tongue, just a simple kiss between the two of them. Just then they heard a squeak. They parted hurriedly, both flushing slightly at being caught in the act.

"Oh, hello Shizuka." Naruto said.

The silver-haired girl was standing in the doorway, but when she saw that she had caught Naruto's eye, she raced off down the hall.

"Hey, wait!! What's with her?" Naruto looked at Hinata for an answer.

The kunoichi shrugged. "I don't know."

Shizuka stuck her head in the doorway again, pink eyes glittering with light.

'_She has her mask off...Maybe that means she trusts us enough to know that we won't judge her by appearance.'_

"I think she wants us to play a game with her. Search-and-find, maybe?"

The young girl nodded her head excitedly. She let them sense her chakra presence for a mere second before masking it entirely and taking off again to go hide.

"I guess we're supposed to go find her. Come on." Naruto said, laughing slightly though he was amazed at the girl's ability to mask her chakra so entirely. "It's a large place, so we better get started."

**...5 hours later...**

Naruto collapsed panting and breathless on the floor in his room.

"I give up." he moaned. "We've looked everywhere."

'_I think I underestimated her.'_

"Have you checked under the bed?" Hinata asked.

"She wouldn't be there. She ran out before we could catch her."

Just then Shizuka crawled out from beneath Naruto's bed with a triumphant gaze in her bubble-gum pink eyes. It was almost as if she were saying, _'Ha-ha. You couldn't find me and I was right here all along.'_

"What's going on in here? I've sent several clones looking for you. It's time for dinner."

Shizuka gave him another look that plainly read, "We were playing a game."

"A game, eh? You haven't done that since you were little." Itachi said.

Naruto and Hinata gave each other a confused look.

"How can you..?" Naruto started.

"Tell what she's saying?" the Uchiha finished. "When you've lived with her for as long as I have, a glance can say many things. She hasn't talked since I found her."

'_It's not that I don't try, sensei...I try to speak, but there's just something there. I try, sensei...I try.'_

"Oh..." was all Naruto could say. "Well, I'm hungry, so lets go eat. I'll help you with the dishes, Shizuka."

Shizuka nodded and left. The others followed her. Dinner, as it turned out, was not ramen, but Shiro Miso, Tonkatsu, and Oyoko-dan. They ate silently, with few words between bites of the Japanese style pork fillets. Hinata sipped demurely from her Miso while Shizuka poked at her food.

"You need to eat, Shizuka," said Itachi.

"Yeah. It's really good," added Naruto.

"Mm-hmm," chimed in a smiling Hinata.

"You know, Shizuka, when you wear your mask you look just like my old sensei, Kakashi."

There was a clink as her chopsticks hit the plate and rolled off the low table they sat at. They dropped to the floor with a dull _thup. _Shizuka stared at Naruto intensely, but her gaze was faraway.

'_That's my...that's my...'_

**Alright, I know it was short, but forgive me. I'm trying to get my inspiration back for this story. You all have 'undeadyeti' to thank for my actually posting this chapter. I know it was fairly much a piece of crap, but I'll probably come back later and write more. Thanks for reading.**


	18. Shizuka Speaks

**Hello and welcome to chapter 18 of Into the Darkness. I received so many reviews that it scared me. I really didn't think that the last chapter was any good. My writing has been rather forced lately, so it's hard to keep it at the same quality it used to be. A huge 'thank you' goes out to all my loyal readers. I appreciate you all reading my story.**

**This chapter is dedicated to undeadyeti for his or her unwavering support.**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned Naruto.**

**Oh...And Shizuka is actually 11 years old. I'm trying so hard to keep this story straight but it's freaking nearly impossible with all the different ages and internal plotlines. The complexity of it all is just so irritating...I need a beta reader.**

**18. Shizuka Speaks**

"Otou-san..." her voice came out softer than a whisper. Even Itachi could not hear her.

Tears filled her eyes. It felt like the world was crashing down on her with all the force of gravity. Her vision tunneled, grew darker, and then became blurry with tears of mixed happiness and sorrow. She was traveling back in time...growing younger and younger until she was sitting in the closet again, hiding from the monsters that threatened to destroy her family.

Hotaru's voice rang in her ears.

"Stay under here and don't you dare come out..." she whispered to herself tearfully.

'_Okaa-san...Otou-san...Hotaru...I thought I lost you all...but...Otou-san...you're still alive. Still...alive.'_

Before Itachi could react, Shizuka was up and running. She wrenched opened the papyrus door with a fury never seen before and then ran out into the falling darkness of night.

She ran as far as her legs could take her and then some. The setting sun dyed her hair orange. Tears streamed freely down her face as she finally stopped two miles away from home. Blinded by them, she stumbled until she came to a tree where she sat down and gazed emptily at vermillion sky.

"It's so...red." she whispered. "Just like the blood."

Flashback, 1ST person POV

**"**_**Shizuka! Stay under here and don't you dare come out! Promise me you'll stay hidden!"** __**my brother shouts as he shoves me roughly in a closet. **_

_**I know I will have a bruise from his touch, but at the moment it didn't matter. All that currently mattered, at least to my brother, was my safety.**_

**"_Hotaru?! I promise Hotaru, but what's going on?" __I call out, but the door is closed in my face and I am left to find the trap door leading to the secret place beneath our house by myself._**

**"**_**Stay in there!"** __**Hotaru shouted again but the wooden door between us muffled his voice.**_

_**I'm so afraid I can't make myself think straight. My hands grope around blindly in the darkness of the small space until I feel a patch of soft carpeting. I shove it to one side to reveal a smooth metal ring. I tug and a hole opens up to reveal a rickety wooden staircase. I crawl down on my hands and knees and swing the trapdoor shut behind me.**_

_**It's cold down in the basement, so cold that I can see my breath coming in misty little puffs from my mouth. I keep going down, farther and farther, and it feels like ice is seeping down my skin.**_

End Flashback...

The young kunoichi shivered as she felt the icy hand of Orochimaru slide up over her shoulder.

"Ahhh!!" she screamed and lunged forward onto the grass.

"Shizuka, it's me."

The girl sat up and turned, recognizing Naruto's voice. Concern shown deeply in his crimson eyes. She sighed and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. Why was it that he cared so much? He barely knew her, and yet he'd run almost two miles looking for her.

"Are you going to be alright?" he asked, sitting down.

He crossed his legs, folded his arms behind his head, and stared at the sunset.

"You know...," he said to her, not taking his eyes from the breathtaking view, "It was on a night like this that Itachi-sensei left me. I didn't know why because at the time I was only 7 years old."

"He...he left you?" she said, voice lower than a whisper. It was hoarse from disuse.

'_Does that mean...that he would also leave me? No...We're together now...He's gradually come to replace my family.'_

"I miss my home sometimes." Naruto admitted with a hint of regret. "Do you ever miss your home?"

"I...Itachi-sensei is my home." Shizuka said at last.

She tucked a strand of silver hair behind her eyes. Sometimes she wanted to let her hair out of its pigtails, but couldn't allow herself to. How could she when her mother would wake up every morning extra early before school to do her hair up like that? They reminded her of a past that she almost wanted to forget.

The blood splattered walls. The stench of rotting, bloated corpses. The red mist in the air, so fine yet heavy enough to collect on her cheeks in spots of red. The horror...the horror and the shock of seeing her family massacred by the man known as Orochimaru. And yet...hadn't Itachi also been in the Akatsuki, like Orochimaru? Did that make him a killer in her eyes? She shook her head, sending the questions bouncing through her skull like ping pong balls.

"What is it?" asked Naruto.

He saw her eyes and knew she was remembering that night...A night on which the worst of nightmares had finally come true. He wanted to draw her from her trance. For some reason he felt more alone than ever before, even though he was right by Shizuka's side.

"Shizuka...Shizuka." the blond tapped her on the shoulder.

"What?" she said softly at last.

"How did you come to get that scar across your right eye?"

"Orochimaru." she spat the name out venomously. It was slowly getting easier to talk.

"I don't know if this will make you feel better, but Itachi-sensei is the only family I ever knew, and the only one I had. And that scar across your eyes...is like my Sharingan. It's a curse and a blessing. A curse because it marks you as yourself, but a blessing in the fact that it ties you to the past. It gives you a reason to remember, but also a reason to move on and get stronger."

'_**Wise words, kit.' **_thought the fox.

"**Well, well...You do know some things after all."**

'_Shut up, you stupid fox!! Of course I know things.'_

'_**He-he...' **_the fox chuckled within the depths of Naruto's mind.

"**Feh...You're just a puny human."**

'_I am not going to argue with you and that's that!'_

Naruto shook his head, trying to rid himself of the fox demon's words.

"**I'm still here." **it said, drawing the final word just to irritate him.

'_Shut the hell up.'_

"**Testy, aren't we? Fine. But remember, I'm here and I always will be."**

'_**Just for you, kit.'**_

"Naruto?"

Now it was Shizuka's turn to call out his name.

"Yes?" he asked, turning to gaze at her with his piercing crimson orbs.

She was taken aback by the beauty and the pain shining plainly in their depths. There was one think she knew for certain now. That Naruto was just like her. A jaded, broken person on the inside. But she also knew that the genin was stronger than he appeared to be, even though on the outside he looked small and fragile. There was something about the way his hair blew in the wind...something about the look in his eyes that made her feel she could trust him.

"My whole clan was destroyed by Orochimaru." she said calmly, quietly, with slight hesitation. She'd never even told Itachi this and yet here she was talking about to a boy she'd known for two days.

"It was...a massacre..." her voice cracked slightly. "I thought I lost...everything I had ever known and loved until Itachi-sensei came along. He showed me that I could express myself without words. And that's what I've done for two years...until now...I haven't spoken at all."

"You can go back to not speaking if that's what you want. I won't tell Itachi-sensei that you talked."

"I appreciate the offer Naruto. I sincerely do. But its time I face my problems head on, and if that means verbally communicating with others, then...well...so be it. Come on. We better go back before Itachi-sensei and Hinata worry." her voice was light and musical now.

"One more question, Shizuka." he said as he stood up. "Will you sing for me?"

"Sing? What makes you think I can sing?" she asked.

"You're voice..." he said. "I don't know how I can tell, but you have a singer's voice."

"I used..." she swallowed, then restarted. "My Otou-san loved hearing me sing at night, before we went to bed. I guess I can do it this time."

"Playground school bell rings...again. Rain clouds come to play...again. Has no one told you she's not breathing...hello...I'm your mind...giving you someone to talk to...hello." she sang in a soft falsetto that was somehow both sweet and sorrowful.

"Wow...I could tell you were good...but..,you're...amazing."

Shizuka blushed crimson in the dying light. A faded red glow washed over them both as the last fingers of sunlight slipped from their grasp on the world. Then all that was left was a calm, clear blue sky. Fragments of glass glittered like in the sky. For once, they did not remind Naruto of broken bones glinting viscerally in the sickly pale glow of the moon.

"Hey...Wait a second...When I said Kakashi, you froze. Is he your?"

"He's my father." Shizuka said while closing her eyes in remembrance. "He was away on a mission when all this happened. I thought...I thought he had been killed beforehand...but he's alive...I know that now. When you go back to your homeland, I'm coming with you."

"Uh, sure, okay."

Itachi was waiting for them by the entrance with Hinata.

"We were s-starting to worry..." she said as they approached.

Shizuka and Naruto gave each other a knowing look. Naruto broke out into a grin and laughed.

"W-What is it, Naruto?"

"Oh, nothing. We're ready to train, sensei."

"Alright. Let's go."

Itachi led them to a small area enclosed by trees. It was a quiet place that immediately set Naruto's mind at ease. The night sky glittered overhead with a peacefulness he hadn't felt in years. He sighed contentedly. The depression from earlier had vanished, leaving behind no trace of its presence.

"Don't get comfortable yet." said Itachi, walking up him.

With a soft smile, he came forward and, using his thumb, stuck a leaf to Naruto's forehead. He then did the same with Hinata and Shizuka.

"Shizuka will show you what to do."

"Okay, sensei."

Itachi did a double take, which looked rather funny as his ponytail swung back and forth.

"You just..." he was speechless.

Shizuka turned slightly red as her sensei continued to fumble with his words. Naruto smiled at her encouragingly and she returned it with a smile of her own.

"So?" she asked, grinning even more.

"**Itachi looks quite ridiculous when he's floundering about for words."**

'_Whoever would have thought we'd actually agree on something, Kyuubi?'_

"I...never mind."

Itachi quickly overcame the shock of hearing Shizuka speak and then went on to explain the lesson.

"Focus your chakra on the point of the leaf. Try to make it stick to your forehead."

"Oh, man..." Naruto groaned without really thinking about it. "We did this back in the Academy. I suck at it."

"What did I say about speaking negatively about one's self? We are not going to do that here."

"Gomen." Naruto apologized.

'_I'll just have to focus really hard. I can't let him down.'_

Shizuka held the leaf to her forehead and concentrated on focusing her chakra. Not five seconds later she was sitting in a meditative position with the small green leaf in the middle of her forehead. A faint blue glow surrounded the edges of the tiny piece of foliage.

Hinata followed suit, trying to stick the leaf to her forehead with chakra. It worked for a while, but then her leaf fell. Itachi watched her silently as she held the leaf to her skin again before letting it go.

'_I have...to prove myself to Itachi-sensei. I must have strength, like Naruto-kun. I must...be strong.' _she thought.

Naruto was actually having an easier time than Hinata. Though his previous sensei had found him to be notorious for poor chakra control, it appeared that merging with the nine-tailed fox had actually given him an advantage. A faint red glow emanated from around the edges of the leaf. It fell once or twice, but he refused to give up.

Several hours later, the moon was high in the sky and Hinata was exhausted. For the past hour she and Naruto had both managed to keep the leaf on their forehead with chakra without letting it fall. Shizuka looked and felt more awake than ever before. There was something about talking after remaining silent for two years that made her feel a sort of freedom.

"Alright, let's head in." Itachi said.

He stood from his position on the ground and stretched his arms.

"Excellent work today, everyone. I could feel your determination to prove yourselves. Don't ever lose that."

"Thanks."

"T-Thank you."

"Thank you."

They trooped inside, Itachi leading the way with Shizuka behind him. Naruto and Hinata fell in behind them. The genin reached over and kissed Hinata shyly on the cheek.

She blushed heavily and tried not to faint.

'_It's still hard to believe that we're actually...together.' _she thought as she swallowed the lump of happiness in her throat. Tears nearly filled her eyes but she blinked them.

"I'm...glad I asked to come with you, Naruto-kun." she said quietly.

"Me too, Hinata. Me too."

Once they got to their rooms, Hinata wished Naruto a good night and shut the door behind her. They both fell asleep before their heads hit the pillow.

**Alright. Another short chapter, but I think I'm starting to get my old inspiration back, as evidenced by this quickly updated chapter. Reviews are accepted and greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for continuing to stick with this story. You all are amazing!! Oh, and the song Shizuka sang is called 'Hello' by 'Evanescence'.  
**


	19. Announcement Please Read

Greetings to all my loyal readers and reviewers. You all have remained faithful to me, waiting diligently for me to post up my next chapter. It is in light of this context that I have some announcements to make.

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, especially deathdingle, since his/her well-rounded critique has led me to make a very difficult decision. I appreciate every review, regardless of reviews or flamers, because it tells me that you have at least taken the time to read a chapter or two.

Secondly, it is with great regret that I inform you that, as one can see, my story has steadily declined in both organization and context since the ninth chapter. Unfortunately, it was around that time that I was hospitalized for a great deal of time. When I was released, all inspiration had abandoned me. During my stay at the hospital, the computer on which I typed fan-fiction crashed. Literally, I mean beyond the dreaded "Blue Screen of Death". I lost all of my notes, which detailed the times and ages of each character as certain characters occurred, as well as a basic plot line and outline for each chapter. And it is then that I committed the biggest sin a write can ever make: I forced myself to write. Each chapter came out worse than the previous, until finally, as it is now, it is a completely jumbled mess of ideas that I can not repair.

Finally, as such, at my current state (at least mentally: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Severe Major Depressive Disorder, Psychosis, and Borderline Personality Disorder) I am unable to handle the workload that I have set myself up for. "Into the Darkness" was one of the greatest stories I have ever come up with, though I am disappointed to say that I can not do it justice any longer.

Therefore, I have a proposition to make. This story is officially up for adoption. If anyone wants to take over this story, revamp it, make it their own, etc. etc., they may do so at one request: All I ask is that you give me credit for the initial idea by stating so at some point in the preface of at least one chapter.

If you are willing to take over this story, please notify me via e-mail or Private Message so that I may mail you the chapters I have saved on my flash drive.

Please note that this is only for "Into the Darkness"

I will try my best to continue writing for these stories:

"Where the Heart Is"

"Secrets" -Temporarily on Hiatus-

"Chicken Noodle Soup for the SasuNaru Soul"

"Sanctuary"

"Underwater"

"The Open Door" -Temporarily on Hiatus-

I thank you for taking the time and effort to read this notice thoroughly, and I sincerely apologize if I have let anyone down. Things are very difficult for me at the moment. You know, senior year, friends moving, depression, so on and so forth. I look forward to see what amazing things you can do with "Into the Darkness"

– Bottlecaps, AKA Leigh


	20. Update

Hello everyone. This is not a chapter, but rather an update. Several people have contacted me wanting to know who would be taking over my story. So here they are:

(type w w w . f a n f i c t i o n before each of them)

.net/u/1763128/CedarKuruQan

and

.net/u/1919306/Orexisgrimm

and

.net/u/1188029/The_Radical_Dreamer

They will each be adopting the story and creating their own from it.

Thank you for all your concern and I wish you all well.

– Bottlecaps AKA Leigh


End file.
